Graduates

“A clear priority, evident to all of us during our visit, was the sensitivity, awareness and commitment of the Israeli National Police Leadership toward ensuring every meeting with citizens, and every police/citizen encounter was focused on earning the trust of the community.  The citizen or group may not approve every police action or response, but great effort was made to communicate the purpose and reasoning.  Our visit to Israel did not uncover policing challenges we were unfamiliar with – terrorism, crime fighting, leadership, recruiting & retention – but it exposed us to a region where survival magnifies the intensity and depth of law enforcement challenges.  The Israeli Police are on the front lines of terrorism every day.  They are the fabric that allows their country to excel in development and growth, while allowing each Israeli citizen to pursue their dreams.  Our pride in the brotherhood of Law Enforcement could not have been more inspired by those we met in the Israeli National Police.  They are the pinnacle of professionalism, devotion to duty, and commitment to all people and religions. “

“I was impressed at several innovative programs used by the Israel National Police. In Atlanta, our Video Integration Center, with over 7,000 integrated public and private cameras and license plate readers was designed around the Israeli Police Command and Control center we visited in Jerusalem. Our Atlanta Police Leadership Institute was designed after Chief George Turner visited Israel and was impressed with the Israeli Police Leadership Development Center. I was very impressed with the new National Police Academy, so much so that we sent our Academy Director to Israel to the National Police Academy for training. Going to Israel to learn more about the challenges facing the nation and how the National Police operate, gave me a greater understanding of how difficult a task it is to maintain peace in the middle of several countries hostile to the State”

“One of our greatest challenges in American policing is serving a community that is vastly more diverse than the local police department. Comparatively, the Israeli police are responsible for serving a variety of demographics. I was impressed by the level of community policing efforts employed by the Israeli Police to build relationships and maintain peace among such diverse populations. The mentor shadowing was considerably inimitable and having the opportunity to observe the daily operation of a station and its command staff was enlightening. Although generally ensuring public safety was important, understanding the concerns of the community was equally significant. While we share similar roles and duties as leaders, it was invaluable to witness and learn of methods other leaders have adopted to address policing issues.  As a result of the training, I was able to successfully incorporate several of the strategies that I learned from the exchange to help improve my leadership and efforts in the communities where I serve as a police executive. GILEE provides a formidable degree of leadership training that cannot be matched. As proclaimed so often by other GILEE Alums, it is indeed “a training of a life time.”

“At each briefing, our hosts were very frank in their remarks and willing to share successes as well as failures. Although Israel is a small country, the entire delegation was surprised at the diversity of and within each of the communities. Each briefing revealed some new information and we learned that each location came with its own set of challenges. I am confident that the Georgia Law Enforcement community and Israel Police are better because of this worthwhile program.”

“The site security and training components were of particular value to me as we assess courthouse security and fixed site security issues as well as developing the skills of our deputies to survive on the street. I have used these lessons many times since my return and I am sure our other delegates have incorporated the training into their daily spheres of responsibility. I was impressed by the incredible strength and resiliency of the Israel Police and the citizens.”

“I can’t fully express the impact that being part of the GILEE Delegation has had on me as a leader and a man. I firmly believe that each member of our delegation returned with ideas, thoughts, views and an understanding of Israel that will always be with us as we lead others and live our lives. GILEE is a must training event that is truly an experience of a lifetime.”

“During my 39-year career I have had the privilege and honor of attending many excellent training programs. However, the honor of attending this training program to Israel is by far the highlight of my career. We were exposed to a myriad of different ideas and tools to combat drugs and terroristic threats that every country has to manage. The love of country and the sacrifices that the Israeli society must make to keep their democracy safe are values and lessons learned that will never be forgotten. The Israeli law enforcement organizational chart may look different than ours in the United States but as comrades in arms we are an international brotherhood that stands together to fight the evil that exists in our world.”

“The establishment of GILEE in May, 1992 was to help improve security for the 1996 Olympic Games. This exchange program has fulfilled the GILEE objective of law enforcement executive development and international cooperation. The exchange program is tremendous in the sharing of differences, developing lifelong relationships, improving decision making using new-found solutions needed to make professional determinations. The state of Israel is to be admired in adapting to an adversarial existence in a safe, secure and peaceful manner.”

“I think I can speak for the entire delegation when I say that this program was the highlight of many of our careers. The information learned and shared with our Israeli counterparts was invaluable. The Israel Police are one of the best trained, professional, warm, and accommodating group of people I have met. I know that each member of the delegation appreciated the opportunity to participate in this program and we are grateful to Dr. Friedmann for developing such an outstanding program for law enforcement leaders.”

“Our delegation learned many things about Israel that we could never have known without this opportunity. We all learned so many valuable professional lessons that we were able to take back and implement in our communities. We made lifelong friends who may be 6,000 miles away in distance, but they will be held near to our hearts forever.”

“From an educational or practical perspective, the Israel National Police were very respectful. It was obvious to all of us that their exposure to terrorist activities had provided them with a practical insight that only a very few in our country might have experienced. We all understood that we had a once in a lifetime opportunity to glean information that would enhance our ability to deal with the reality of a terrorist event in our respective jurisdictions.
I believe there is unanimity among the members of our delegation as to the importance of the GILEE program. The myriad learning opportunities, the interaction with the Israeli people and the resulting discussions are not duplicated anywhere else that I am aware. While I have had the opportunity to travel in Europe and Asia via several different government affiliations, by far, the GILEE Exchange Program was the most educational and informative overseas experience.”

“Members of our delegation to the United Kingdom learned as much from our hosts as they learned from us. Many of our members have traveled internationally before but few had ever been taken into the circle of professional public safety officers who had grown up in a different land, with a different culture and a different political structure. However, we quickly learned that our common bond was the dedication to our missions and the population that we serve. We and our hosts have continued to maintain professional relationship years after our initial meeting. The largest value of this delegation to London in 2007 is especially evident in the transformation of Georgia officers’ knowledge and attitudes concerning our brothers across the Atlantic.”

“The 2006 GILEE visit to Israel remains one of the highlights of both my personal and professional life. On a professional level, I gained a better understanding of how to balance security with personal freedom. In a place that terrorist attacks occur so frequently, the police and public have created a vibrant, boisterous society that thrives in a state of “relaxed alertness” where celebrations are held in spite of the constant threat, but always with the threat in mind. It was amazing to see the police and citizen communication and cooperation that provided normalcy in a sometimes abnormal environment. The lessons learned throughout the trip have been shared time and again with my counterparts while I was a Chief of Police and since, while serving overseas as a Senior Police Advisor helping develop police forces in post-conflict countries. The trip to Israel gave me a foundation of understanding to help grow law enforcement, both in the U.S. and elsewhere, to find that essential balance between security and service. Since this delegation visit, it is my turn to host site visits of foreign delegations to the United States. I have used the GILEE model, providing focused visits on particular subjects that are interspersed with cultural events that put the experiences in context. Just as I learned lessons in my trip that translated into improvements in police operations, the visits that I sponsor have been responsible for significant improvements in local government police operations.”

“I have never experienced a more well planned and executed operation. It is so seamless and all the prior planning is evident in making it such a remarkable experience.”

“While in Israel, our delegates attended lectures and observed demonstrations on public safety best practices and multi-cultural relationships that have proven invaluable to us. We visited actual crime scenes and spoke with the officers who conducted the investigations. We gained insight into enforcement and cultural issues that have helped us bring about positive changes in our respective agencies and communities. We have all been personally and professionally enriched by the GILEE experience.”

“The relationships that were developed and fostered during this 2002 trip to Israel among our own delegation and with our Israeli hosts continue to pay dividends in the lessons learned and intelligence arena. Realizing the magnitude of our current and future challenges emphasizes our collective need to work together utilizing the most effective methodologies. That is the hallmark of GILEE. Thank you, Dr. Robbie Friedmann, for your vision and continued leadership of this necessary and innovative program which is so important to state, local and federal law enforcement throughout our country and the world. Our nation’s law enforcement and intelligence entities are so much better equipped because of you.”

“Nations have different political systems, and countries have different systems to maintain law and order. Our visit to China promoted a good international relationship and led to a delegation from China visiting Georgia thanks to the GILEE Program.”

“With the amount of information received the delegation was able to clearly learn the lesson of dealing with ongoing terrorist acts while at the same time dealing with normal criminal activity and a host of other social issues police have to deal with all around the world. This delegation left Israel with a clearer understanding of how professional police services can be delivered in an environment that is not always an easy one to police in but a well-trained committed staff of police officers can complete the Mission!”

“While events in the 1990’s, such as the bombing of the World Trade Center, the Oklahoma City bombing, and the Olympic bombing in Atlanta had us all focused on terrorism, 9/11 made us all focus internationally as never before. The Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange had produced and continues to produce public safety and security leadership that is experienced and connected in the international arena. From these exchanges strategies for better serving all our communities are developed and best practices identified. There is a world of great ideas out there and through GILEE, Georgia law enforcement is part of the conversation about them and Georgia citizens the beneficiaries.”

“As important the participation in such a program may be, it is the implementation of these ideas that make a real difference. It is through a program such as GILEE, which brings together the command staff of many agencies (local, state, and federal) to train together with organizations from a country that experiences activities that some of our agencies only have had to imagine, that makes it so valuable. Learning what to look for, how to respond, and who to call, are all of the important lessons that need to be learned BEFORE a situation occurs. The knowledge does not end upon retirement and it is this combined awareness that allows the valuable lessons learned to continue in making our communities safer. “

“As a practitioner who has now worked on public safety projects globally, the GILEE experience taught me a great deal about how to interact and exchange important information with professionals from many settings. My work in more than 40 states and a range of diverse countries from South America, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Africa has benefited significantly from my participation in the GILEE Program. As my work in each of these countries has involved protection from terrorism as well as more typical types of violent crime, the benefits of the GILEE Program have gone far beyond Georgia’s borders. With the FBI National Academy and more than 3,000 hours of police training I have completed, no professional development opportunity I have experienced can compare to the GILEE Program.”

“From start to finish, our travels exceeded all of our expectations. It facilitated greater understanding amongst the group that aided in a willingness to work towards transcending unhelpful jurisdictional rivalries. Each of us had been exposed to a diverse menu of knowledge and training from a host of sources, contributing to a shared understanding and familiarity with basic and universally adopted institutional best practices. So perhaps the most important and unforgettable benefit to be derived is to have been exposed to an extraordinary people facing and overcoming extraordinary challenges, with courage, grace, and an undeniable sense of a shared humanity.”

“While in Israel our group attended many briefings and we were able to observe several demonstrations of the most professional training exercises and educational activities I have encountered in my law enforcement career. I came away with valuable insight to cultural issues that their law enforcement and citizens live with.”

“German Scholar Max Muller said: “He who knows only one country knows none.” The GILEE program ensures Georgia’s senior law enforcement officers get to experience diverse countries and cultures. This exposure is important as we work in an environment that is more and more global in its outlook. In our normally busy lives, we don’t often have time to interact with colleagues across the state in this intimate a setting. This exchange gave us the opportunity to get to know people both a world away and a few hundred miles away. Today, I look back over these visits to Israel and Hungary and consider them an important part of my career.“

“Being a member of the 3rd GILEE delegation to Israel will always be a highlight of my law enforcement career. I cannot say enough about the tremendous kindness and hospitality of the Israeli people. The Israel National Police were extremely patient and considerate in the sharing of their time and knowledge with the delegation.”

“As one who achieved undergraduate and graduate degrees in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University I was proud to have had the opportunity to lead a GSU program to Israel while Chief of the Covington Police Department. We had the opportunity to see police in action, to crisscross the country and gain an understanding to its problems and the solutions it offers with relevance for others to learn from. This program helped me develop and emerge as a law enforcement leader who went on to serve as president of the GACP and president of the IACP, an honor held by very few.”

“Among the many outstanding programs Georgia State University offers, the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE) is one of the most globally impactful. By learning what our counterparts were doing in terrorism prevention we were better prepared to host the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. The exchange was invaluable. It enhanced each of our levels of performance, and better equipped us all, as law enforcement agencies, in globally protecting our citizens.”