This week, fifteen law enforcement executives from around the country returned from Israel after participating in ADL’s 2016 National Counter-Terrorism Seminar (NCTS). Among the participants were Colonel Tyree Blocker, Superintendent of the Pennsylvania State Police, and Lieutenant Colonel Raymond Guidetti, Deputy Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.
Each year, NCTS brings the highest level of law enforcement executives from around the U.S. to Israel for a week of intensive counter-terrorism training, with briefings provided by senior commanders in the Israel National Police, experts from Israel’s intelligence and security services, and the Israel Defense Forces. The Israeli experts share strategies and best practices in fighting terror, and participants return home better able to protect the U.S.
In addition to the Pennsylvania and New Jersey state police commanders, the 2016 class included executives from: U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the U.S. Marshals Service; Illinois State Police; the New York City, Chicago, Orlando, San Bernadino, Salt Lake City, Fort Worth, Washington, DC, and Colorado Springs Police Departments; and more.
ADL’s Israel Office, headed by Regional Director Carole Nuriel, designed the agenda, which included meetings with commanders from both the Israel National Police and the Palestinian Civil Police, the survivor of a bus bombing, a Holocaust survivor, and visits to the Israel National Police Academy, Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, and an Israeli prison.
ADL is proud to be the largest non-governmental trainer of law enforcement in the country, and will continue our strong relationship with law enforcement in the region and across the nation.
Below, read some examples of participant feedback in the program:
“The experience has been amazing. I really didn’t know what to expect, and I really didn’t know the Anti-Defamation League does this for law enforcement and I’ve just been blown away by the places we have been and the speakers that have come to talk to us. It’s going to be a huge benefit, going to see the police academy for the Israeli police, talking to their commanders has really been eye opening and it’s interesting to see what I take away some of the things are really the same and some of the things are very different as well.”- John Mina, Chief of Police, Orlando Police Department
“I’ve participated in a number of training environments over my 31 year career. I’ve never had the opportunity to leave the country and actually come to a place that has been dealing with terrorist related activity for years. Because we are seeing more of that in California and across the country, it’s important for us to get firsthand knowledge of how those types of activities are dealt with here in Israel, because in our world we consider the Israeli national police definitely the experts in this field.” – John McMahon, Sheriff-Coroner, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
“It’s actually kind of hard to put into words; it has been incredibly moving both professionally and on a personal level. First trip to Israel, and as someone who routinely deals face to face with terrorism in the job that I have, the information that has been provided, it doesn’t compare to any other program that I’ve participated in, and I’ve been in numerous that offered this level of information and assistance to me as a federal law enforcement officer.” – Bill Snelson, Associate Director of Operations, United States Marshall Service
The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.