Los Angeles DHS: Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department

One of the organizations that organize and sponsor these trainings is the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA). JINSA is a think tank that advocates for US-Israeli security cooperation, increased domestic military spending, and military aid to Israel, and has board members with close ties to US defense contractors. JINSA launched its Law Enforcement Exchange Program (LEEP) shortly after 9/11, and since 2002 has run annual trips to Israel for US federal, state, and local law enforcement. Over 11,000 additional American law enforcement officials have attended LEEP conferences nationwide, which bring in Israeli security officials as experts.

The Sheriff’s Department of Los Angeles County, California, Department of Homeland Security unit, is among the departments that have sent delegates to Israel. William “Bill” McSweeney served as Chief of Los Angeles County’s Homeland Security Division until 2010, and served as Chief of the Detective Division between 2010 and 2015. Chief William McSweeney attended a training in Israel with JINSA as a delegate of the LEEP program in February 2008. He is now on the Board of Advisors of JINSA.

He also sits on the Board of the Peace Officers Association of Los Angeles County. In July of 2015, Bill McSweeney was appointed by the Sheriffs Relief Board of Trustees as its General Manager, and as the Executive Director of the Sheriffs Relief charitable foundation.