ADL and LAMOTH Launch New Training for Law Enforcement

  • July 2, 2015

On June 30, ADL’s Pacific Southwest Region, in partnership with the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust (LAMOTH) and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), piloted the West Coast launch of Law Enforcement and Society (LEAS) The program, started in Washington D.C. in 1998 as a partnership between ADL and USHMM,  is an innovative and nationally acclaimed training program for law enforcement, from police recruits to executives. It examines the history of the Holocaust and its implications for law enforcement today, focusing on the core values of American law enforcement and its role as protectors of the Constitution and individual rights.  ADL staff from Los Angeles, San Diego and Washington, D.C. joined with LAMOTH and USHMM staff, to train over 40 high level law enforcement professionals from nine different local, state, and federal agencies at the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust. Since its inception in 1998, LEAS has trained over 100,000 law enforcement professionals, including commanders from over 94 countries, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. LEAS has been a required component of training for all new FBI agents since 2000.

During the West Coast LEAS launch, the participants took docent-led tours of LAMOTH and then participated in a facilitated classroom discussion. The program provides law enforcement professionals with a deeper understanding of the relationship between police and the people they serve and recognizes law enforcement for their dedication and sacrifice to protect our democracy and our values as a nation.  The session utilizes the exhibits and resources of the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust to create a deeper understanding of the lessons of the Holocaust and apply those lessons to their work as law enforcement officers.

If you are in law enforcement and interested in having your department personnel go through this training, please contact la@adl.org.