Sterling Heights 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 Sterling Heights, Michigan, is among the departments that have sent delegates to Israel. Barnett Jones served as Chief of Sterling Heights Police Department between 2006 and 2012. Chief Jones attended a training in Israel with JINSA as a delegate of the LEEP program in 2005. After his retirement in 2012, he was appointed Public Safety Administrator for Flint, Michigan. He also held another full-time job simultaneously at the Detroit Water and Sewage Department, where he serves as the Chief of Security and Integrity Officer.

“One would say it is the front line… We’re in a global war.” – Chief Jones on Israel

“The reality is we have a large population in our community that immediately become suspect, whether that is right or wrong, because of the global war. For me to sit here and say, ‘I’m not concerned’ would be wrong, but for me to sit here and say, ‘Yes I’m concerned’ would also be wrong.” –  Chief Jones when asked about the large Arab and Muslim population in the Detroit area