Duluth Deputy Chief: Israel trip addressed ‘universal problems’ in law enforcement

The exchange, a peer-to-peer training program that is held in partnership with Israeli law enforcement, brought together senior law enforcement officials from Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee to study the latest advances in community policing, counter-terrorism, emergency management, advanced technologies and homeland security policies.

“The purpose of attending this training in Israel was to learn from other agencies about best practices and successful methods in dealing with universal problems in law enforcement,” Hood said. “The universal problems include gaining support from a diverse community and dealing with terrorism. Israel works with its communities to develop successful relationships to enhance public safety, (which) is something we all focus on regardless of the agency we work for.”

This year’s training emphasized community policing, which GILEE’s founding director, Robbie Friedmann, defined when he was a Georgia State University professor:

“Community policing is a policy and a strategy aimed at achieving more effective and efficient crime control, reduced fear of crime, improved quality of life, improved police services and police legitimacy, through a proactive reliance on community resources that seeks to change crime-causing conditions. It assumes a need for greater accountability of police, greater public share in decision-making and greater concern for civil rights and liberties.”

Hood said that’s exactly what the program focused on — how Israeli police “provide the best policing practices to the communities they serve to ensure public safety and to reduce crime and terrorism.”

“I learned that, much like us, they count on community involvement as an important part of keeping crime down and the quality of life high,” Hood said. “I also learned that preparation for terrorist events is essential and that training for them is on a consistent and continual basis.

“Our trip included attending briefings on community policing, what methods are being used and the challenges surrounding policing in such a diverse community and we reviewed how the Israeli police use technology to fight crime and saw some proven successful methods.”

Hood said her group also focused on some of the challenges Israeli police face with providing logistical support for such a large agency.

The force is estimated to have about 35,000 employees, though also relies on about 70,000 Civil Guard volunteers who contribute time to assist officers in their own communities.

Hood said in addition to discussing community policing, the group focused on terrorism, given the county’s “world-renowned” experience in dealing with terrorists.

“Their day to day operations are very similar to what police departments deal with here in the United States, however, since they’ve had to deal with terrorism to such a degree, they’ve learned what works and what doesn’t work in their community,” Hood said. “They have, in essence had to stay one step ahead of terrorists in order to keep people as safe as they can possibly be.”

Part of that included the technology Israel uses — another one of the country’s most developed sectors.

“I was able to see different methods they were using, especially in the area of surveillance as it pertains to fighting and solving crime” Hood said. “Although Duluth utilizes some similar methods, there were still ideas I was able to bring back with me.”

Since its founding in 1992, GILEE has offered more than 200 special briefings to more than 32,000 law enforcement officers, corporate security personnel and community leaders and has carried out more than 450 programs and graduated more than 1,500 people.

Friedmann said the international exchange has “returned more than 720 public safety officials home with the knowledge and skills they need to keep our communities safer.”

“Among the program’s many benefits,” Friedmann said, “Our delegates return home with a better understanding of effective ways to address modern policing challenges and increased communications and collaboration among different agencies, external organizations and the greater community.”

For more information about the program, visit gilee.org.