The 26th Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange

By Sheriff Frank Reynolds

The flight attendant walked down the aisle collecting our morning breakfast, as we made our final descent into Israeli airspace. It had been ten years since I flew to the Middle East, and I couldnt help but think of my first flight into Baghdad, which was a spiraling corkscrew descent from twenty thousand feet, and the mission was completely different.

I never knew if Id have the opportunity to return to this part of the world, but as our plane touched down in Israel, a content and peaceful smile spread across my face. I knew this experience was going to be extraordinary.

I was one of 21 law enforcement executives selected to attend the 26th Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE) delegation to Israel.

GILEE is a research unit within Georgia States Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and was founded in 1992 by Dr. Robbie Friedmann. The program works continuously to improve public safety by enhancing inter-agency cooperation, partnerships, and professional educational training among the worlds top law enforcement communities, most recently Israel and Hungary. To date, it has offered more than 200 special briefings to more than 32,000 law enforcement officers, corporate security personnel, and community leaders. GILEE has carried out more than 450 programs and produced more than 1,500 students, (GILEE.GSU.edu).

Our delegation spent the next two weeks traveling throughout Israel to learn how our counterparts provide law enforcement services to their communities. Israel is internationally known for its innovative technology and its contemporary approach to law enforcement services.

Throughout our travels across Israel, I was particularly impressed with how Israeli law enforcement emphasized community policing. Dr. Friedmann accurately describes community policing as, Policy and 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 seek 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.

During our stay, we were blessed with an opportunity to visit with a group of police academy students. We exchanged questions and answers about how our two nations view each other and current trends. It didnt take long to realize that we shared many of the same issues concerning our respective countries. Despite our cultural difference, we shared a common bond, our love for community, national pride, and our willingness to serve.

Similarly, our delegation had ample time to learn from one another. Our group was comprised of professional law enforcement and corporate executives from Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. We often found ourselves discussing current trends in public safety (e.g., hiring, agency policy, and public opinion).

In addition to our law enforcement activities, we visited a few of Israels historic sites. This gave us important insight into the historical connection between the past, present, and future policing doctrines. The entire experience gave us confidence in our own nations future, as we continue to deal with similar issues.

On our last evening in Israel, I looked across the sunset-filled room of our delegation. Lost in the reflection of our own experiences, we all shared the same content and fulfilled disposition of a brighter future.