views R ecently, I had the privilege of representing Wayne State University and the greater Midtown area as a member of the Law Enforcement/Federation Security Detroit delegation. Our group of six joined other delegations in Israel hailing from Cleveland, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. Funded by the Israel Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, the seven- day training regimen proved to be one of the most intense and eye-opening immersion activities that I have experienced during my 42-year law enforcement career. The daily 10-hour training covered a wide swath of topics, including coping with terrorism threats, anti-Semitism as a global terror threat, connection between community and security/ emergency forces, terror in the State of Israel from the perspective of a senior commander in the field, Judaism in the diaspora, simulation exercises and numerous other critical points of discussion. We participated in several facility tours, including the Police Control Center for Jerusalem (Old City) and a police security training center. I was particularly moved by briefings from a Pittsburgh Police Department SWAT commander and a Jewish Federation security director regarding the Tree of Life synagogue shooting. There were numerous lessons learned and other takeaways that emerged from the training sessions. Overall, I developed a deeper understanding of how to employ situational awareness — being aware of our surroundings throughout the day and watchful of any warning signs. I am reminded of a particularly gruesome and heartbreaking story regarding a type of suicide bombing. Terrorists have employed the horrific practice of strapping a bomb around a child in a stroller and then leaving the stroller unattended. Unsuspecting bystanders approach the child to offer assistance; then the bomb is detonated, killing the child and several onlookers. Also included as part of the situational awareness training are the targets of opportunity, the destinations and venues that are popular for terrorists to practice their deadly maneuvers. In Israel, buses, light-rail stops and the entry gates to the Old City of Jerusalem are prime targets. These locations have been singled out for knife attacks, vehicular attacks and the use of improvised explosives. Israel’ s leadership, military, law enforcement agencies and citizens represent an international model for preventing and battling the challenges of terrorism. Israel, as a nation, is top tier in terms of prevention and overall security. Other nations around the globe can learn from Israel’ s law enforcement practices and overall preparedness of the citizens. Poring over my notes on the long flight home, I was reminded of the importance of preparedness and situational awareness — not just in Israel, but also globally and locally. At Wayne State University, the safety of our students and staff has always been a priority, a charge that our police department (WSUPD) focuses on 24/7. The reach of WSUPD includes not only the campus, but also the greater Midtown Detroit area — all neighbors and members of our community. Our highly trained officers engage the community, patrol campus and surrounding areas, offer important safety resources and respond to emergencies. WSUPD plays a vital role in making Wayne State a welcoming home, school and workplace for thousands of people. It is gratifying that Israel and the United States continue to share law enforcement strategies in the fight against terrorism. The cooperative spirit that we experienced as part of the Detroit delegation in Israel was outstanding. I am grateful to all of the parties, in particular the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, for their efforts in making the training available. ■ Anthony Holt is the Wayne State University Chief of Police. 8 June 20 • 2019 jn guest column Bring Security Strategies From Israel to Wayne State Anthony Holt Not Now and I follow “Breaking the Silence” and “Cachol Levan” in Israel. The people I have met from these groups love Israel with all their heart and are worried as Jews about the path that Israel is taking. We are not anti-Israel as the writer thinks just because we oppose the Israeli government. I lived in Israel for 17 years and lost friends in the conflicts. It saddens me that Israel (where I visit every three years) is moving away from the Jewish principles that have governed us for more than 3,000 years. Maybe instead of unity, we, as Jews, should look into our hearts and ask our- selves if the State of Israel is living up to the Jewish principles as we know them. Mark Phillips Oak Park I was hopeful at first about Mr. Ginsburg’ s “call for Jewish unity. ” I thought he’ d take to task the Jews who call other Jews “self-hating” just because they have a different opinion on Israeli politics. Then I got to the part where he talks about “radical Muslim women. ” American citizens duly elected to the House of Representatives pose a greater threat to Jews than white supremacist militias shouting, “Jew will not replace us” and entering synagogues with mili- tary weaponry? Really? But what really puzzles me is his claim that the Democratic Party can no longer be relied upon to support “Jewish caus- es. ” When I think of “Jewish causes, ” I think of clean air and water, feeding the poor, Social Security, Medicare, public education, literacy, Head Start, health care, equal rights, a living wage, FOIA, National Endowment for the Arts … and so many more. And who is actively working to destroy these hard-won programs and values? It’ s certainly not the Democratic Party. Saying “I love Israel” every five minutes does not make up for Republican attacks on the social values that have made the U.S. a safe home for Jews until recently. Cynthia Brody Beverly Hills continued from page 6 CORRECTION: In “Organic Growth,” page 12, June 6, the name of the owner of Ca nine to Five is Liz Blondy. Deputy Chief Curt Lawson, West Bloomfield Police Department; Lt. Russ Yeiser, Oakland County Sheriff’ s Department; Wayne State University Police Chief Anthony Holt; Steve Cooper, director, Oak Park Public Safety; Capt. Dan Edwards, Bloomfield Hills Township Police Department; Gary Sikorski, security director, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.