San Diego Police Department

San Diego, California

: (619) 531-2000

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In 2002, just months after 9/11, American police officers held their first official training expedition to Israel to learn about “counter-terrorism.” Since then, hundreds of law enforcement officials and government agents from across the country have been sent to Israel to meet with military and police forces, and thousands more have participated in conferences, trainings, and workshops with Israeli officials in the United States.

The American and Israeli governments justify these exchanges on the grounds that the United States and Israel share the mission of the War on Terror. American facilitators and participants of these programs similarly argue that the United States and Israel are allied democracies whose law enforcement agencies play a crucial role in preserving national security.

While framed as an opportunity for US law enforcement to learn policing strategies from a closely aligned democracy with counter-terror experience, in fact these are trainings with an occupying force that rules a population deprived of human and civil rights. Rather than promoting security for all, these programs facilitate an exchange of methods of state violence and control, including mass surveillance, racial profiling, and suppression of protest and dissent.

Profile

The Police Department of San Diego, California, is among the departments that have sent delegates to Israel. Walt Vasquez served as Assistant Chief of San Diego Police Department between 2013 and 2015. Assistant Chief Walt Vasquez attended a training in Israel with the ADL in October 2013. He is now Chief of La Mesa Police Department.

In addition, Israel National Police Superintendent Micky Rosenfeld led leda training for 150 law enforcement officials from all over San Diego County.

Within the San Diego area, police officers Fred Armijo (Oceanside PD), Mike Barnett (SD County Sheriff), Chief Ed Aceves (La Mesa PD), along with Chief Walt Vasquez (SDPD) attended attended the same training in Israel in October 2013. Their trip included a stop to the Assaf Winery in the occupied Golan Heights. On his experience, Chief Ed Aceves of the La Mesa Police Department stated, “I’m telling you right now, he could have told us ‘strap on guns, we are going to get Hezbollah!’ and I’m telling you everyone of us would have been ready. He had us all, it was so great to see. He was the essence of what leadership is about!”
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