BEAVER ― As the next election season looms over Beaver County, residents will be asked to make a decision about who will serve as the future leader of the region’s legal system.
When the mail-in ballots arrive and polls eventually open on Nov. 7, voters will be asked to decide if the incumbent candidate for Beaver County’s District Attorney, David Lozier, will continue to hold his position at the Beaver County Courthouse or if the seat will go to his new Democratic challenger, Nate Bible. These local lawyers have similar goals for the future of criminal justice in the region but have some key differences in how they want to use their position to achieve those results.
Lozier has served two terms as the Beaver County district attorney, where he has earned experience in managing police resources and overseeing recent efforts for police regionalization. In his challenge to the position, Bible has proposed a more direct hand in the daily legal processes, proposing that he would do the traditionally uncommon practice of personally overseeing the prosecution of criminal cases if elected as district attorney.
To help voters understand the two candidates for district attorney, we have provided our questions and the responses from Lozier and Bible in the section below. Wherever necessary, fact checks have been offered to add more context or correct false information.
Q: Can you provide voters with your background?
Lozier: I have been the Beaver County district attorney for eight years and am asking the voters for a third term. My education includes a bachelor of arts degree from William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, which I attended on a competitive Army ROTC Scholarship. I was then sworn in as a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Army. I began as an Infantry Officer and completed Airborne training. The Army needed helicopter pilots, so they asked me to volunteer to transfer into Aviation. I flew UH-1H Huey and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters for six years in various stations including South Korea, Alabama, Georgia and the 101st Airborne in Kentucky. My army aviation assignments included stints in US Army Logistics, Supply, and Combined Arms Planning and Operations. I left the Active Duty Army and returned to William and Mary for law school. I continued to fly for the U.S. Army in a Reserve capacity for six more years while in law school and my first few years as an attorney. I had a civil litigation practice with several Pittsburgh law firms for about 25 years. My civil jury trial career allowed me to practice in over 20 courthouses throughout western Pennsylvania. This was an invaluable experience because I could see firsthand how different courts, judges and counties administered their trials and courts. In 2012, I opened a solo general practice in Chippewa Township, Beaver County. This allowed me to spend more time with my family and children in the Blackhawk School District. I ran for Beaver County’s district attorney in 2015 serving two terms since 2016. My background provided extensive experience managing and supervising personnel in the civilian world and the Army. I managed law firm issues, scheduling cases and lawyer resources. In the Army, I commanded personnel, ran logistics for Army installations, and coordinated complex aviation operations and tactical planning. This all prepared me for the complex challenges of serving as a district attorney.
Bible: I am a lifelong resident of Beaver County, having graduated from New Brighton High School in 2001. After earning my bachelor of arts from the University of Buffalo in 2006, my juris doctor from Western Michigan University’s Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2010 and my master of laws degree from the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law in 2011, I returned to Pennsylvania to begin my legal career. I have lived in Harmony Township with my wife, Darcy, and our golden retriever, Winston, for the past seven years.
Q: What do you feel makes you more qualified than your opponent for the role of district attorney?
Lozier: In my law career, I have practiced in over 20 courthouses, worked thousands of cases and participated in somewhere north of 30 jury trials. However, a district attorney in a county with 168,000 citizens and over 5,000 criminal case filings a year does more than just prosecute cases. As district attorney, I supervise over 30 full-time personnel and over 40 part-time personnel, manage a $4 million budget, run the Beaver County SWAT Team and the Beaver County Anti-Drug Task Force, and support the training and equipment needs of 35 police departments. I have done all this before. As district attorney, I assign resources, schedules, training and support for multiple lawyers and trials at one time. I have done all this before. I am unaware of any complex management, financial or personnel experience for my opponent.
Bible: I have experience and qualifications in both practicing law and leadership which would allow me to do the job well. I am the founding partner of NBMS Law, P.C., with our office located in Beaver. I also serve as a part-time public defender, as well as the solicitor for White Township, and solicitor for the Harmony Township Sewer Authority. I am very active in the Pennsylvania and Beaver County Bar Associations. I am currently serving on the Beaver County Board of Governors, in addition to four committees while chairing the Continued Learning Education (CLE) Committee. I am a past president of the Young Lawyer Division of the Beaver County Bar Association. I serve on the House of Delegates for the Pennsylvania Bar Association and am a member of the Estates, Trusts, and Real Property Committee. I am also a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s 2019 Bar Leadership Institute class. I have been practicing law for 12 years and have tried numerous cases, both in front of a jury and in front of a judge only. I have tried felony cases and complex civil litigation cases. I have handled hundreds of criminal preliminary hearings and plea and sentencing hearings. I understand the criminal justice system very well and would bring actual trial experience to the district attorney’s position. My opponent on the other hand had very little, essentially no, criminal experience when he took office in 2015. Eight years later he has still never handled a criminal case. He has still never tried a criminal case.
Q: What are some of the key issues you would like to address if you are elected to the district attorney position? How would you plan on tackling these topics?
Lozier’s Key Issues
- Continue to work towards regional police departments. Having fewer larger departments will provide increased supervision, increased training and increased patrol coverage than smaller understaffed departments. Having fewer larger departments will improve career satisfaction, as well as retention and recruiting, in a competitive police officer job market.
- I created the Special Victim Unit in 2023 because child abuse and sex crime filings increased. The SVU currently includes two prosecutors and two detectives. They assist municipal police with investigations, work closely with the victims, and prosecute these difficult cases. We must find and dedicate more resources to investigate and prosecute these cases.
- I am in the middle of implementing a grant-funded Rapid-DNA lab in Beaver County. Bringing DNA equipment to Beaver County will greatly improve the solve rate for sex and property crimes and will shorten the time lag for getting DNA results from over 12 months to as little as one day.
- I would like to improve our re-entry support for individuals released from jail, especially those with mental health and substance abuse disorders.
Bible’s Key Issues
- Unlike our current district attorney, I actually have experience in criminal law. After eight years in the district attorney’s office, Mr. Lozier has still never handled a criminal case. I also try my own cases. I have had multiple jury and non-jury trials. I would bring my knowledge of the criminal justice system and trial experience into the district attorney’s office and lead by example. It sends a great message to the assistant district attorneys that their leader is willing, and able, to roll up his sleeves and get in the trenches with them, so to speak.
- I feel that Mr. Lozier is too soft on crime. Bad people need to go to jail, period. However, there are a lot of decent people that make bad mistakes. I want to get individuals who want help, and can be helped, to get out of the “revolving door” they are currently stuck in. A very large percentage of crimes occur due to drug use and mental health issues. A lot of these people can be helped. Our drug task force has also been all but nonexistent over the past several years. The police focus too much on the drug user, not the drug dealers.Fact Check: Officers who are a part of the District Attorney’s Drug Task Force have been a part of several notable drug investigations in recent years, with the seven-member team from the county’s Detective Bureau working closely with municipal police to identify and prosecute drug dealers. Many of these cases leave Beaver County’s jurisdiction, as drug dealers often face federal criminal charges. The local team is often asked to testify in these cases and these detectives are publicly thanked for their efforts by judges in the Western District of Pennsylvania. In addition to investigating local cases, the team has participated in larger drug dealing investigations in Allegheny, Lawrence and other counties surrounding Beaver County.
- Mr. Lozier has also caused irreparable damage between his office and several other law enforcement agencies, including the sheriff’s office, attorney general’s office, Pennsylvania State Police and several different local municipality police offices. Many of these organizations do not want to work with the DA’s office, which makes things difficult, to say the least. I want to reunite these bodies and function as one unit. All law enforcement should support one another to get the job done. It shouldn’t matter who gets the credit, what matters is that the residents feel safe and perpetrators are brought to justice. One of my first orders of business will be to mend the relationships with law enforcement. This month I will be receiving the endorsement from the Pennsylvania State Police. Last month, the Beaver County Fraternal Order of Police did not endorse the incumbent (Lozier) for the first time in nearly 40 years. Although the sheriff’s office does not endorse, I have the overwhelming support of that office.
Q: In recent months, Beaver County has seen an increase in juvenile crimes, resulting in destroyed property and loss of life. What plans do you have to address this issue?
Lozier: School resource officers and school police officers are great assets in every school at every grade level. A police officer assigned to a school becomes familiar with the students and staff. They serve as positive role models and assist with education in public safety, drugs and alcohol, and the safe use of social media and cell phones. A police officer in a school serves as the best set of eyes and ears because the children talk to the police about other children who have difficulties and may need mental health or social or disciplinary intervention. I have pushed to get police into every school and I will continue to improve the training and coordination for all SROs and SPOs in our schools. I would also continue to work with our commissioners and juvenile services office to improve the availability of juvenile detention facilities. We must build a facility here or support construction in an adjoining county.
Bible: I also believe that the youth crime rate is out of control. First, there are little to no consequences for youth offenders. Minors commit adult crimes such as theft of a motor vehicle, burglary, aggravated assault, etc., and are released the same day. Oftentimes they are released to a home where there is one parent, or no parents, there to supervise them. If there are no consequences then what is to stop them from re-offending? The second angle I would pursue is providing an alternative for these minors. I am a big supporter of community and youth programs. Some of these minors need to be given another option to show them they do not have to travel down a criminal path. I am a huge supporter of unions and believe that learning a trade can and will develop into a successful career. Showing the youth that, just because you might not be the best student, there are other options. If you learn a trade, work hard, and prove to be reliable by showing up on time, you can make a good wage to support yourself and your family. You can never save everyone, but I think if a lot of minors are aware of these options some may choose a different path.
Q: Over the past two years, there have been several cases involving excessive force from police officers in Beaver County. If elected to the position of district attorney, how would you address these types of cases and are there any changes you would want to see in the county’s law enforcement handbooks?
Lozier: I established the county’s best practices for body-worn camera protocols and provided regular training for every department adopting these devices. I will continue the implantation of these body-worn cameras as a tool to maintain proper police behavior and to prove/disprove allegations. I will also continue to work with the chiefs of police on standardized “Best Practices,” including use-of-force policies.
Bible: Cops who abuse their authority should be punished just like the criminals they are tasked with apprehending. Being a police officer used to be one of the most prized professions in our society. It’s an extremely difficult job and I have the utmost respect for the men and women of law enforcement. However, they are held to the same standard as the rest of us. In fact, they are held to a higher standard because of their position of power. It’s not to single out the police, as there are bad people everywhere. There are crooked lawyers, teachers who have inappropriate relationships with their students, doctors who overprescribe to make more money, etc. I assure you that any instance of excessive force will be looked at on a case-by-case basis. I will certainly take into consideration the particularly difficult job that law enforcement has, and truly try to place myself into their shoes in that particular situation. Nonetheless, they will not be given any special treatment and if charges are warranted they will be filed.
Q: Rather than focusing on divisions, elections should also be focused on respectful discourse. Can you share what you like or appreciate about your opponent for district attorney?
Lozier: A fresh look often provides great insight.
Bible: I appreciate that the current DA has set up a Veteran’s Court. With the encouragement and assistance from the Honorable Kim Tesla, a Beaver County Common Pleas judge, Lozier set up a Veteran’s Court to help veterans who need a second chance. Essentially, if a veteran is accused of a crime, in most instances, they are given the opportunity to enter the Veteran’s Court program. The program consists of treatment, counseling, community service, etc., depending on what the veteran is charged with. Ultimately, upon successful completion of all the requirements, the veteran can earn a dismissal and expungement of the charges. I would continue this program in full force, as I think it is a great way to honor the men and women who protect our country and our freedoms.
I would also like to set up a mental health court and a drug court that mirrors the veteran’s court. A very large percentage of crimes stem from drugs, mental health issues, and poverty. There are also some bad people who just want to see the world burn. But I want to focus on those that can be helped and want help. The current district attorney has a drug diversion program that simply does not work. It’s basically just a rubber stamp program that does not actually help the individual. Therefore, they are re-offending within a few months. There is currently NOTHING to combat and assist the mental health crisis.
Fact Check: While there have been many calls to expand their outreach and funding, local mental health resources are available to residents in Beaver County. Those struggling with mental health and seeking assistance are encouraged to visit bc-systemofcare.org or call the 24/7 crisis hotline at 800-400-6180.In June, reporting from the Beaver County Times discussed the effectiveness of the Magisterial Court Drug Diversion Program, which allows first-time offenders an option to undergo a mental health treatment program to address drug abuse. Official reports from the county indicate that the program has had a 65% success rate since 2017 and over 600 individuals have chosen to undergo addiction treatment. The last data set received by law enforcement agencies indicates that there has been a 10% recidivism rate for those who opted for the program. People sent to jail for drug abuse in Beaver County may also opt to receive Vivitrol, an injection that blocks the effects of opioids and prevents overdoses. This program has been completed by 209 of those struggling with opioid addiction and is believed to prevent the trend of overdose deaths occurring in the 24-hour window after individuals leave jail.
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