US Police in Israel

The Fellowship  |  September 6, 2017

Line of US Police in blue caps and white polos and khakis in Israel.
US Police in Israel

For the second year in a row, a group of Americans who’ve made their careers in law enforcement have trekked to the Holy Land to learn Israeli counter-terrorism techniques. The Jerusalem Post’s Daniel K. Eisenbud reports on this meeting of allied police personnel, as well as the special 9/11 memorial they’ll attend outside the Holy City:

“We are here to honor fallen police officers from the US and Israel…”

During their stay, the US delegation will be based at the Beit Shemesh police academy, where they will participate in multiple counterterrorism training exercises, meet with elite units, and be briefed by Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich.

The delegation will conclude following a September 11 memorial service held at the 9/11 Living Memorial Plaza in the Arazim Valley…

Safris said what distinguishes the Israeli police internationally is their commitment not only to law enforcement, but to Israel’s existential struggle.

“In our communities, for a lot of police officers, it’s a job, and I think that it’s more than a job for a lot of the officers in Israel because they are protecting their homeland,” he said.

“We have a lot of discussions about this when we are here,” Safris said. “It’s not just about keeping Israel going, but keeping it strong. You know, you can’t put down your weapons; you gotta be strong and act quickly, otherwise it’s going to be a lot worse.”

“They are protecting a way of life here,” he added…