Tuesday, October 10, 2023–10:54 a.m.
-Adan Carey, Rome News-Tribune-
This story is possible because of a news-sharing agreement with the Rome News-Tribune. More information can be found at northwestgeorgianews.com
Local police remembered those members of an Israeli law enforcement group they trained alongside after reports that several have been killed during the massive attack this weekend by the militant Palestinian Hamas organization.
The visit last fall by Israeli law enforcement officers was part of Georgia State University’s Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange program.
Numerous law enforcement officers from Rome and Floyd County have participated in the program and visited Israel to learn from and train with officers there, including Rome Chief of Police Denise Downer-McKinney and Assistant Chief Debbie Burnett as well as Floyd County Chief of Police Mark Wallace and Maj. Jeff Jones.
Recent reports state that over 1,100 Israelis have been killed and over 150 hostages taken as well as 500 Palestinians killed over the weekend as fighting continues.
Jones was the most recent visitor, having spent two weeks in Israel in June. He said that, unfortunately, he recognizes many of the locations he’s seen on television from his trip, which is fresh in his mind.
“It saddens my heart to see what’s happening now,” Jones said. “It was the best training I’ve ever experienced. I gained tremendous personal and professional growth.”
He also got to know one of the victims, Lt. Col. JR Davidov, chief of the Rahat Police.
“JR showed us, personally, the most unbelievable hospitality,” Jones said. “Israeli law enforcement are such outstanding professionals, under constant threat of attack.”
Jones also said that even though he was only there for two weeks, it felt like he knew the people he trained with and met for years.
Wallace went to Israel in 2009 for two weeks of training and was struck by the resilience of the Israeli people, who went about their business every day under the threat of a possible attack by their neighbors.
“I’ve read that this was Israel’s Pearl Harbor,” Wallace said. “Israel will always be in my heart, and I hope to visit there again.”
Wallace says they were treated very graciously, even having dinner in fellow officers’ homes and meeting their families.
“One of the police chiefs who visited Rome was killed,” GILEE Director Robert Friedman said. “Two other chiefs and 41 other officers of the Israel Police have also been killed in the attacks.”
Burnett said, “My trip to Israel was one of the biggest blessings in my career, and I’ve had a number of blessings.”
She also said it was amazing to learn what the average Israeli goes through on a daily basis, under constant threat of attack, and how well prepared they are.
“However, Israel is very strong-willed,” Burnett said. “I’m sure they are preparing to make the statement they need to make.”
Friedmann started GILEE in 1992, in anticipation of the 1996 Olympic Games to help with security preparations. He was concerned the games would set a world stage for terrorism.
In the decades since, his program has built relationships with about 30 countries and 30 states.
“It has been a terrible weekend,” Friedmann said. “The news is just devastating, an unbelievably savage attack.”
