Lower Merion's Top Cop in Israel to Learn Counter-Terrorism Tactics

Lower Merion Police Department Superintendent Michael McGrath on Thursday begins 12 days of counter-terrorism training in Israel, the township announced.

The following information is from the Lower Merion Township public information office:

Lower Merion Police Superintendent Michael McGrath has been invited to represent the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania at the Northeast Counter-Terrorism Seminar (NCTS), held in Israel from January 24 through February 4, 2013. The NCTS is an intensive training program conducted in cooperation with the Israel National Police, and it is organized and funded by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), among the nation's most respected authorities on extremism, hate groups, and terrorism-and one of law enforcement's most trusted partners.

To date, more than 100 senior federal, state and local law enforcement leaders have participated in this training. The NCTS is designed to provide law enforcement leaders with first-hand knowledge of the cutting-edge strategies, tactics, and information to combat terrorism-from some of the world's foremost experts with extensive firsthand experience combating terrorism. The training is limited to 15 personnel from New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Superintendent McGrath serves on the ADL Law Enforcement Advisory Committee in the organization's Philadelphia Regional Office, along with other federal, state and city law enforcement leaders.

The NCTS provides participants with the opportunity to learn counter-terrorism strategies and tactics, with special emphasis on suicide bombing and securing transportation infrastructure. Through presentations and site visits conducted by senior personnel in the Israel National Police, intelligence and security services, and the Israel Defense Forces, participants will learn directly from Israel's most experienced commanders.

This session will include seven participants from Massachusetts, four from New York, and one each from Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

ADL has run eight NCTS sessions, bringing 115 law enforcement executives and commanders to Israel since 2003. Classes are composed of heads of FBI field offices, major city police chiefs, and state police superintendents, as well as commanders of counter-terrorism, special operations, homeland security, and intelligence divisions and units.

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