For Immediate Release

Friday, Dec. 23, 2016

Contact: Captain Richard Flynn, PIO
Office: 781-316-3907
Cell: 781-844-1224
Email: [email protected]

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Arlington Police Chief Travels to Israel to Participate in Counterterrorism Seminar

ARLINGTON – The Arlington Police Department is pleased to announce that Chief Frederick Ryan traveled to Israel with the Anti-Defamation League to participate in a counterterrorism seminar and training.

Chief Ryan was invited by the ADL to attend the training on Dec. 4-13.

The training program, which is sponsored by the ADL and in its seventh year, is designed to give members of American law enforcement the chance to learn about the impact terrorism has on civil society. Attendees met with Israeli National Police, Palestinian Police, security experts, intelligence analysts and journalists.

As part of the curriculum, Chief Ryan participated in high-level briefings on the operational response to terrorism, border and airport security, maintaining safety and access to holy sites, the role of advanced technology in policing, strategies to balance security with the free flow of commerce and the psychological impact of terror.

Additionally, participants were given the opportunity to visit archaeological and religious sites and learn about Israeli society.

Following the trip, American police officials returned home with information, resources and contacts to enhance their abilities to combat terrorism and strengthen relationships among key law enforcement leaders and agencies.

“I was awestruck by the strength and commitment to safety and security demonstrated by the Israeli people and our police counterparts,” Chief Ryan said. “We visited the Hebrew University, and the research being conducted there relative to lone gunman/terrorists will help inform public safety policy makers here in the U.S. This training was a highlight in my career and coincidentally, I met an Arlington resident, Daniel Grau, at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.”

Additional participants in the program included representatives from the Boston, Middletown, Mansfield, Massachusetts State Police, MBTA, MIT, Northeastern University and Suffolk University police departments, along with the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office, Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, the FBI Boston Division and Homeland Security.

The trip culminated in a dinner at the home of Daniel B. Shaprio, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel with Governor Charlie Baker and his delegation, which were in Israel at the same time for a trade mission.

“I was honored to be a guest of the ambassador and to spend time with Governor Baker at the end of this truly eyeopening trip,” Chief Ryan said.

About the Anti-Defamation League:

The ADL, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism and hate through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.

Additionally, ADL offers law enforcement training on terrorism, extremism and hate crimes. The organization has trained more than 100,000 federal, state, local and military law enforcement officers throughout the nation.

###