Milwaukee police chief responds to anti-Israel critics after attending overseas security program

A Milwaukee police chief responded to heated criticism for attending a counterterrorism training seminar in Israel last month.

Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman attended the seminar in the first week of December. He faced opposition at a public meeting for the city's Fire and Police Commission, with residents accusing him of learning how to "oppress our communities."

"For this police chief in this political climate when there’s a genocide happening right now, to go learn tactics to further oppress our communities, is shameful," said Angela Lang, who represented Black Leaders Organizing for Communities.

"I called this trip unconscionable and I believe that with my chest," said Krissie Fung, a local resident. "I think that for many Milwaukeeans this is not something they will ever forgive."

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Norman released a statement explaining his trip to Israel, but he made no apology for the decision.

"At last night’s Fire and Police Commission meeting, members of the community and various organizations shared their concerns regarding my recent training trip to Israel. I want to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to express their thoughts and experiences," he said.

"In 2025, I was invited to participate in the Homeland Security Program in Israel, sponsored by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) and the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA). This program, established after 9/11, facilitates the exchange of best practices between U.S. law enforcement and leading counterterrorism experts," he explained.

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"Given today’s global security challenges, I viewed this as an important opportunity to learn strategies for preventing and responding to terrorism—knowledge that ultimately enhances the safety of the entire community I serve," he said.

"As a leader, I believe in lifelong learning. Every experience, including the feedback I received last night, is part of that journey. I want to assure you that your comments were heard and taken seriously," he added.

The training in Israel was run by former FBI Assistant Director Steven Pomerantz, who said the seminar was not political in nature. He added that Israeli police have more experience than anyone in handling counterterrorism.

"The Israel national police had more experience than any other police agency in the world dealing with terrorism and a lot of lessons they had learned over the years that they were willing to share with American law enforcement," Pomerantz told local Fox 6.