Militarized Policing: The Deadly Exchange Lie
In 2017, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) concocted and launched a campaign called the “Deadly Exchange.” JVP is a Far Left organization that partners with extremist anti-Israel organizations. Their Deadly Exchange campaign essentially blamed the Israeli military for “militarized policing” and police violence in the United States.
JVP seized on the fact that "exchange" programs exist between the Israeli military and American police. They then falsely claimed that these programs had brought American police to Israel to learn the Israeli military’s “worst practices.” Namely, militarized policing. The Deadly Exchange further accused that the programs taught police “racist policies” to be used against black and brown communities.
JVP's campaign asserted American police were learning, in essence, militarized policing:
“extrajudicial executions, shoot-to-kill policies, police murders, racial profiling, massive spying and surveillance, deportation and detention.”
JVP’s Deadly Exchange campaign also targeted American Jewish organizations. This included mainstream groups such as the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) that were among the sponsors of the exchange programs.
The problem with the Deadly Exchange campaign was that it was based on entirely fabricated premises. While it was true that the exchange programs existed, participants in the programs unequivocally testified that what JVP claimed they learned couldn’t be further from the truth.
Testimonies From Participants: No Militarized Policing
Lou Dekmar, who has been police chief in LaGrange, Georgia for 25 years, has attended three exchange programs. He is also a past president of the Association of Chiefs of Police.
"[JVP’s characterization of the program as a deadly exchange is] “not consistent with any of the experiences that I've had in dealing with the Israeli police. We didn't do any training on tactics.”
Dekmar further said that conversations he has had with those on other exchange programs reported the same thing.
“[The program center on] how the Israeli police had a respect for human rights and civil rights, an accountability system that includes the courts, and how they do a very good job under difficult circumstances.”
Clearly, this is the opposite of JVP's militarized policing accusations.
George Turner is the former police chief of Atlanta, Georgia. Turner took over as chief after the controversial police shooting of Rayshard Brooks. Commenting on the program, Turner said,
“I did not learn repressive kind[s] of techniques as it relates to what the narrative had been around this exchange.”
Not "Racist," Tactical of Militarized Policing Training
Gina V. Hawkins, the police chief of Fayetteville, NC., stated,
“Nothing that we learned had anything to do with injustice … My experience was nothing even close to what they said was the purpose of the executive level leadership training, none of the information in regards to any type of policing against any demographic, because that would go totally against my beliefs.”
Ronnie Roberts, a former police chief of Olympia, Washington, commented,
“Most of the stuff was all about high-level policy stuff … it wasn't about training or tactical or anything like that.”
Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant participated in a program run by Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE) at Georgia State University. Bryant said,
“One of our greatest challenges in American policing is serving a community that is vastly more diverse than the local police department. Comparatively, the Israeli police are responsible for serving a variety of demographics. I was impressed by the level of community policing efforts employed by the Israeli Police to build relationships and maintain peace among such diverse populations…”