Democrat, Republican Vying For Sheriff’s Seat

Two longtime law enforcement officers are seeking the role of Bucks County sheriff.

On Tuesday, November 2, Democrat Mark Lomax will face off with Republican Fred Harran.

Sheriffs in Pennsylvania oversee the row office that dates back hundreds of years. The office handles the transport of prisoners to and from Common Pleas County, serves warrants and makes arrests, deals with civil matters, oversee sheriff’s sales, and is authorized to keep the peace.

Harran serves as public safety director in Bensalem Township and Lomax is a former state trooper, who gained the rank of major, and currently is a consultant for law enforcement training.

The two men are seeking to replace incumbent Sheriff Milt Warrell, a Democrat who served one term. Warrell lost in the primary and has said Harran is the “best choice” to fill his job.

It came out recently that Harran owes the federal government more than $40,000. He said the issue was unknown to him until reporters brought it to his attention. The candidate additionally stated he experienced some financial hardship during a trying time for his family.

Lomax said his experience as a trooper and then leading the education and training for the Pennsylvania State Police Academy prepared him for the role of sheriff. After retiring from the state police after 27 years, he worked as a training manager for the International Association of Chiefs of Police and also as a program manager for the United Nations Mission in Liberia West Africa, which he oversaw the Liberian National Police’s Emergency Response Unit and a police support unit. He then served as executive director of the Doylestown-based National Tactical Officers Association before taking on his present consulting job.

“My career in law enforcement has prepared me to do for Bucks County families what I have done for Pennsylvania families my entire adult life, keep them safe,” he said.

Harran has worked in the Bensalem Township Police Department since 1987. Starting in 1992, he implemented the department’s community policing unit that was created to build relationships between the community and law enforcement. He also oversaw the department’s domestic violence initiative. In 1997, Harran became the deputy director of public safety. He became the public safety director in 2006 and has overseen 173 employees, including 106 police officers and the township’s fire services and emergency medical services.

“I want to use my experience as director of public safety for Bucks County’s largest police department to continue its primary mission at the courthouse, and to aid local law enforcement wherever needed. This means supporting the 39 police chiefs in Bucks, fulfilling the sheriff’s civil and criminal duties to ensure local officers remain on the streets, responding to 9-1-1 calls when appropriate, and protecting all our citizens in their daily lives,” he said.

On criminal justice reform and dealing with the nation’s mental health crisis, Lomax said he sees building trust between the public and law enforcement as key.

“I will support our deputy sheriff’s while also using my experience to reach out to every community in Bucks County, to listen, and ensure they know that we are here to keep them safe,” he said.

“The more trust between our officers and those they protect, the safer we all are, and the more effectively law enforcement can do our job. I will make personal outreach to community leaders a priority and conduct a listening tour within the first month on the job,” he added.

Harran said his time in Bensalem Township has led to his dealing with criminal justice reform and helping those with mental health challenges.

The public safety director said his police agency “has always been on the forefront of instituting innovative programing to serve members of the community and the various challenges they face.”

Harran pointed to the Bensalem Police Assisting in Recovery program that helps people who are addicted to drugs get treatment when they come forward to police. He also pointed to Bensalem Township being the first place in Bucks County to take part in the co-responder program that has social workers respond with officers to certain calls.

“As the sheriff of Bucks County, I will continue to advocate for local law enforcement and the sheriff’s department to have these and other tools available to address the never-ending challenges they face when responding to calls regarding drug addiction, mental health, homelessness, aging, juvenile issues, and others,” he said.

When asked about what he sees as a weakness in the sheriff’s office, Lomax said there’s always room to improve.

“My belief is that there is always room to get better and stay sharp. As sheriff I will ensure our office is always up to date on the best training and practices. Our deputy sheriff’s are doing a great job and I will work with them to ensure that continues,” he said.

Harran said he will look to enhance the services the sheriff’s office provides to county residents.

“I will review existing polices and procedures and make reforms as needed based off my three decades of law enforcement experience,” he said.

Lomax, who is a use of force and training expert, said he would implement training and policies that would make sure that “every Bucks resident feels safe and treated equally.”

“By equipping our officers with best practices/policies and to update training on an ongoing basis. As sheriff I will ensure that my team is current on use of force and bias training,” he said.

Harran said he would review existing operations and make adjustments as needed.

“My review will be guided by community policing principles, technological advancement, and policing innovations. I am committed to creating a collaborative environment at all levels of the sheriff’s office to be as responsive as possible to Bucks County citizens and local law enforcement,” he explained.

The two candidates were asked about keeping spending in check for the office that has a $7.9 million budget for 2021.

Lomax said running the large Pennsylvania State Police Academy has certainly given him the experience.

“Managing a budget, big or small, requires understanding your costs and what drives them, understanding the funds at your disposal, and then prioritizing what is essential to getting the job at hand done and done right, and what is not mission critical. That is the same approach I will take as the next Bucks County sheriff,” Lomax stated.

Harran noted that Bensalem Township’s public safety budget he oversees is more than $30 million per year.

“Every year as public safety director, I have come in under budget, directly saving tax dollars. Over the years I have leveraged more than $18 million in grants, again saving taxpayers’ dollars and giving the department the opportunity to implement innovative policing programs beneficial to the community. As sheriff, I will ensure county tax dollars are used responsibly, both long-term and short-term cost savings are identified and utilized. I will look for outside funding sources such as grants or donations, in which I’ve been successful with in Bensalem,” he said.

While Republicans nationally have pushed a narrative of being tougher on crime than Democrats, especially as violent crime has risen, Lomax and Democratic candidate for district attorney Antonetta Stancu have made the case that they’re for law and order while also being compassionate.

Harran and incumbent Republican District Attorney Matt Weintraub have also pushed the same message during the campaign.

Lomax said his whole goal with running is to protect the citizens of Bucks County.

“The safety of Bucks County is my only concern during this election and afterwards,” he said.

In a TV ad that began airing last month, Lomax said fighting crime requires funding police.

Harran said that he’s been proud of keeping Bensalem Township residents safe and also providing services to help improve the quality of life.

“My approach to policing is about what works, thinking ‘outside the box.’ In all situations, I strive to create partnerships – not only with other government agencies, but also with the community I serve,” he said.

Both candidates said they want the sheriff’s office to become an accredited law enforcement agency.

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