International law enforcement exchange program
The Global Law Enforcement Exchange Program (GILEE) is an international law enforcement exchange program hosted by the Georgia State University Police Department (GSUPD). The program has been designed to promote peer-to-peer law enforcement executive development, public-private partnerships, and international cooperation.
The Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE) is an award-winning program that aims to improve law enforcement development and international cooperation. As part of its mission, it provides law enforcement executives with specialized public safety training and information. It also hosts a peer-to-peer professional development program.
GILEE was established in 1992 to strengthen the security of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. Today, it is a joint project of Georgia State University and several law enforcement agencies.
The organization researches homeland security, community policing, and anti-terrorism. They also host special public safety briefings and corporate security briefings.
This year, Continuity of Service was added to GILEE’s focus, and participants were trained on strategies to maintain nonstop law enforcement services. Other issues discussed at the event included the role of technology in policing and the use of culturally sensitive policing.
This year’s delegates were exposed to the latest techniques and best practices in community policing and homeland security. Participants also learned about cybercrime, asset protection, and loss prevention.
The Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) launched the Deadly Exchange campaign in April this year to end law enforcement delegations to Israel. The program combines the efforts of hundreds of local police agencies and law enforcement executives from across the country, including some significant law enforcement departments and agencies like the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
The campaign attempts to expose US law enforcement’s racial bias by connecting Israeli policing practices and US policing. In addition, the campaign tries to shame U.S. police for importing militarized policing from Israel.
The Deadly Exchange campaign has been criticized for not being accurate, as well as for being a cynical attack on Israeli intelligence. For example, it claims that the program’s “deadly” touch is its ability to train American officials in “counter-terrorism.”
While the Deadly Exchange campaign is certainly not the only way to stifle US police delegations to Israel, it is one of the most effective. Thousands of US law enforcement agents have traveled to Israel to attend training sessions and conferences with Israeli experts.
The Georgia State University police department has zero dollars in its budget dedicated to the GILEE program. This has led many to question the legitimacy of the program. President Hagar Baruch pointed out, “We can’t afford to be associated with a group with a history of bigotry and human rights violations.” But GILEE does have supporters. Among them is the progressive student group Progressive Student Alliance. They aim to see the GSUPD withdraw from GILEE and redirect funding to other projects.
A proposed resolution by the SGA, 89-UWSR-05, called for GSU to withdraw from GILEE and redirect funds to other projects. However, this did not pass. Instead, the SGA voted to establish an ad hoc committee to explore the connection between GILEE and the GSUPD. This was done after the SGA learned that the department had participated in a delegation to Israel and that the department’s chief had also gone on a trip to Israel.
