Sheriff Lawson takes part in exchange program with Israel

Lincoln County Sheriff Gerald Lawson (l) recently spent two weeks in Israel with the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE) delegation. Pictured is Major General David Tsur of the Israeli Prison Service presenting a gift to Sheriff Lawson during the delegation's visit to Rimonim Prison in Tel Aviv.

Lincoln County Sheriff Gerald Lawson recently returned from a two-week trip to Israel with the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE) delegation.

The group represented the fifteenth delegation of Georgia law enforcement officers to visit Israel in conjunction with the GILEE exchange program. The delegation also included Gerald Bailey, commissioner of the Florida Department of Law; Mark Gwyn, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; and Clare Crook, assistant chief of the Waco (Texas) Police Department.

The purpose of the training program was to give law enforcement officers the opportunity to study counter-terrorism tactics, emergency management protocols, and other types of policing strategies with the Israeli National Police.

The cost of the trip was covered by GILEE and an Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant.

After arriving in Haifa, Israel, the law enforcement officials traveled to the Police Studies College where they were briefed on the training required for a job with the Israeli National Police. Then, following a tour of the Israeli Police Heritage Museum, the delegates proceeded to the Haifa Police Naval Base and while there, received an overview of the "police mission" on the waters surrounding Israel.

One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the old seaport city of Acre where the Georgia contingent was briefed on the use of volunteers as law enforcement officers and given a tour of the city and its citadel.

According to Sheriff Lawson, "Part of the old structure of the city wall, the citadel fortress, and the tunnels built underneath the city to the sea were constructed by the Knights Templar during the Crusades."

The next day, Colonel (Res.) Eli Sandrovic, a volunteer with the Golan Heights Rescue Unit, gave the delegation a tour of the area, including observation posts overlooking Jordan and Syria. The group was further briefed on the Sea of Galilee's water diversion project and the role of the Israeli police in border secu- rity.

After traveling to Motza, members of the delegation and local law enforcement officers discussed the policing challenges in Jerusalem.

"Securing the holy sites is probably one of the biggest challenges facing the Israeli police force due to the international impact of any sort of catastrophe," said Sheriff Lawson. "However, I was very impressed with the way the police utilize technology to compensate for a deficiency in personnel as well as the ability of the Israeli police to maintain restraint in a violent environment."

The group also received an overview of the capabilities of the Israeli Special Patrol Unit which consists of S.W.A.T. and Riot Control teams. The session featured a demonstration of possible responses to a terrorist attack, a car bombing, and a biological/ chemical attack occurring in a mock city. Following the demonstration, Sheriff Lawson and his fellow law enforcement officers were allowed to fire special weapons used by the elite unit.

The delegates then proceeded to the Israeli Supreme Court where they were briefed on the mission of the court.

"I was impressed by the judicial system in Israel," stated Sheriff Lawson, who went on to explain, "The United States has nine justices; whereas, Israel has 17 at the most. There are also differences in the way court is conducted in so far as the appearance of the prisoners and how they are secured while in court. In addition, citizens off of the street are allowed to come in and meet with the justices."

After visiting the Israeli Supreme Court and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for an update on Middle East - United States relations, the delegates traveled to Yad Vashem for a tour of the Holocaust Memorial Museum.

"This was one of the toughest sites to visit," said Lawson. "It really brought home the plight of the Jews and how one race of people was just about eradicated from the face of this earth."

The law enforcement officers also toured the police station in the "Old City" of Jerusalem and the Israeli National Police Headquarters where they met Lieutenant General David (Dudi) Cohen, Israel's commissioner of police.

Next, the group traveled to the Police EOD Training and Bomb Disposal School and the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.

"While at the bomb disposal school, we observed videos of real bombings in Israel, including suicide bombers, car bombs, and IEDs, that demonstrated the severity of the damage that is done not only to individuals but to property and the community at large," according to Sheriff Lawson.

At the Knesset, the delegates were greeted by a member of parliament who led "a very frank and to the point" discussion about Israel's relationship with the United States and other countries.

Another stop on the group's itinerary was the fortress at Massadah.

"This was where the Jews made their last stand during the Roman occupation after the birth of Jesus," Lawson said. "After taking Jerusalem, the Romans laid siege to Massadah until they were able to breach the fortress. Upon entering the fortress, they found all of the Jews dead except for a woman and some children, who told the soldiers that the Jews inside chose to take their own lives instead of becoming slaves to the Romans. This site serves a reminder to the Jews living in Israel of the importance of being willing to die for what they believe is right for them."

The delegation likewise visited the Dead Sea, a facility that removes minerals from the Dead Sea, and the infrastructure that protects the facility from potential sabotage.

The group then traveled south to Eilat. Situated on the Red Sea, Eilat is located between the borders of Jordan and Egypt.

While in Eilat, the law enforcement officers participated in a very informative discussion on terrorism led by Major Dr. Gil Arieli of the south's counter-terrorism unit. The group learned how the Israelis pull police officers, military personnel, and civilians together to combat any threat to the country.

The delegates then made their way to the Egyptian border where they were briefed on the security measures currently in place. They also learned about the history of the area as well as how to survive in the desert as they traveled on a portion of the desert road that leads from Egypt to Israel. The road has been in use since before the birth of Jesus.

Next on the group's agenda was a visit to an observation post close to the Gaza Strip where there was fighting between Israel, the PLO, and the Hamas.

Then, it was on to Tel Aviv. There, the law enforcement officers toured the headquarters of the Tel Aviv Police District and the Rimonim Prison.

"Our tour of the prison gave us an inside look at the way the facility operates and the special enforcement units that are activated during times of crisis in the prison," said Sheriff Lawson.

One of the last stops the group made before returning to the United States was the nation's Traffic Police Headquarters in Tel Aviv. "While we were there, we were briefed on how the officers performed their mission, with such a small number of people assigned to their unit, using camera systems across the country," noted the sheriff.

In general comments on his visit to Israel with GILEE, Sheriff Lawson said, "This trip was very intense and informative. The knowledge gained will enable me, as the sheriff of a rural county, to better prepare for and, if need be, react to a terrorist threat in our community, utilizing the tactics used on a daily basis by the Israeli police.

"This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to train with a country like Israel at no cost to the people of Lincoln County," he continued. "I believe that one of the Israelis' secrets of surviving in such a volatile environment is the country's ability to pull together and rally behind the Israeli police and military to combat and eradicate the threat. Moreover, the Israeli people understand that the world we are living in today is a war and to survive, everyone must be diligent at all times."

In conclusion, Sheriff Lawson thanked Dr. Robert Friedmann, the founder of GILEE, for giving him the opportunity to serve as a member of the Georgia delegation.

The sheriff also thanked the people of Lincoln County for supporting his participation in the GILEE exchange program and the staff at the Lincoln County Law Enforcement Center, who continued to provide law enforcement support during his absence.

GILEE is a joint project involving Georgia State University and local, state, federal, and international law enforcement agencies. Its mission is to provide senior law enforcement officers with professional training opportunities in policing techniques from peers abroad.