North Las Vegas Police 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 Police Department of North Las Vegas, Nevada, is among the departments that have sent delegates to Israel. Joseph Chronister served as Chief of North Las Vegas Police Department between 2011 and 2015. Chronister attended a training in Israel with JINSA as a delegate of the LEEP program in February 2008.

He said of his trip, in a quote that has been used in JINSA promotional materials:

“I want to send a huge thank you, for the opportunity that you provided to me and the citizens of North Las Vegas on our trip to Israel. I find myself referring back to that experience regularly in my duties and interactions.” ~ Chief Chronister

In 2013, Chief Chronister was accused by the North Las Vegas Police Supervisors Association (Union) of being corrupt, racist and a liability for the department. The same year, he was named in a civil suit that alleged that police officers forced their way into the complainant’s home, shot the complainant and his dog with pepperball rounds, engaged in a search without a warrant, and used excessive force to make him help with a domestic violence call involving a neighbor — in part in retaliation for the complainant’s First Amendment-protected activity.