Pictured: Police Chiefs Gannon and Handy with Israeli Army commander in the Northern region
In October, two police chiefs in the Pacific Southwest Region participated in an Anti-Defamation League counter-terrorism training program in Israel. Patrick M. Gannon, Los Angeles World Airports Chief of Police, and Robert Handy, San Bernardino Chief of Police, were part of a delegation of West Coast law enforcement officials hand-picked by ADL to go to Israel for special training on terror attack prevention and response. The group met with security experts, intelligence analysts, and commanders in the Israel National Police and Israel Defense Forces. The tour included high-level briefings on the operational response to terrorism, border and airport security, maintaining safety and access to holy sites, the role of advanced technology in policing, and use of media during a crisis.
The program, now in its fifth year, is designed to help American law enforcement executives gain a firsthand understanding of the impact of terrorism on civil society and allow them to interact directly with their Israeli police peers.
“The chance to get detailed security briefings from government and private officials on how Israel deals with their complex environment was invaluable,” said San Bernardino Chief of Police Handy. “The lessons learned translate in many ways from specific tactics and procedures to mindset and leadership approaches.” Chief Handy went on to say that he has worked closely with ADL on training and other programs and that “ADL has consistently been a tremendous partner with law enforcement.”
The week-long seminar also included opportunities to tour some of Israel’s most significant archaeological and religious sites, and to learn about Israeli society.
“The trip to Israel was a remarkable opportunity to actually see for myself the serious issues facing Israel and its neighbors. In particular, I was impressed with local law enforcement and the effort they make to treat all factions in Israel with respect and dignity,” said Chief of Airport Police Gannon.
“Since 9/11, there has been renewed focus on local and state law enforcement serving as first responders in events of crisis and terrorism. ADL organizes these training opportunities for US law enforcement to meet their counterparts in Israel and learn from their first-hand experiences dealing with and responding to terrorism,” said Amanda Susskind, ADL Pacific Southwest Regional Director.
Other mission participants were law enforcement executives from the La Mesa Police Department, Oceanside Police Department, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Escondido Police Department, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Long Beach Police Department, Seattle Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office, San Diego Police Department, Santa Clara Sherriff’s Office, and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office.
In the News: Jewish Journal