(20.06.2017) The University of Applied Police Sciences of the Brandenburg State was pleased to welcome four high ranking police officers from the Police Academy of Beit Shemesh (close to Jerusalem) from 7 May until 11 Mai 2017. These days proved to be extremely useful to develop a bilateral exchange of information and police experience. Our visitors from Israel gave talks on important policing issues and came in touch with numerous police officers from the German State of Brandenburg.
Preventing and combating terrorism, security policy, and crime prevention are currently topics of highest priority to focus on for the police in both countries, Israel and Germany. On the other hand, it is obvious, that the preconditions and the framework for police actions are very different between Israel and Germany. Although both countries have common goals for police work, the daily routine is different. Law enforcement in Germany means to fulfil the same range of policing tasks as in Israel, but the intensity of police involvement, of handling the same task, is different, depending on the general situation in the specific country. To learn about the situation of law enforcement in Israel intrigued the officers from the Brandenburg state.
The exciting talks given by the visiting officers from Israel helped the audience to overcome stereotypes. To mention an example: There are also Arabs deployed as officers in the police of Israel.
Intercultural understanding and learning about cultural differences plays an important role during the police education at the police academy in Israel. The structure of the police in Israel, the kind of close-to-reality practicing drill of the police training, the acting of the riot police and police intelligence were explained to us by the experts from Israel. The process of tactical decision making and preventing terror plots in Israel were of highest interest for our officers. The security situation in Europe has changed. Germany has been affected as well. During those talks, the visitors showed video footages of terroristic events and police training. This helped a lot to gain a very detailed understanding for the police work done in Israel.
In addition to all the information provided to us by the visitors, they also gave an excellent example of what an excellent officer has to be like by the way they performed during their talks: Committed to the job without any doubt.
Due to the high expertise from both sides, visitors and German experts, the discussion of the topics became very intense and a very special and friendly relationship between both sides developed. The visitors from Israel came here for only five days. The highest possible benefit for our University of Applied Police Sciences can be stated only after that very limited period of time.
It has become known by many now: The Erasmus+ programme is very useful to exchange knowledge, to facilitate cooperation and collaboration, it also helps to widen horizons and to boost the coming together of nations in such a friendly manner that it will actually work practically in that way.
