"Operation Urban Shield"...Training our Police, Fire, First Responders..in Military Tactics

[KoKo]

This sounds so Innocent....Until one gets into the Details and Checks out their Website...
and the article from the Oakland, CA newspaper...

-------------

511 Tactical
"Operation Urban Shield" Alameda County California September 4 thru 8, 2014

Urban Shield has grown into a comprehensive, full-scale regional preparedness exercise assessing the overall Bay Area UASI Region's response capabilities related to multi-discipline planning, policies, procedures, organization, equipment and training. Urban Shield continues to test regional integrated systems for prevention, protection, response and recovery in our high-threat, high-density urban area. The exercise evaluates our existing level of preparedness and capabilities, identifying not only what we do well, but areas in need of improvement. The previous years' After Action Reports are referenced and used to assist in prioritizing upcoming expenditures possible for the region so we may become more prepared for any type of critical event or incident in our area.

The overarching goals of Urban Shield include striving for the capability to present a multi-layered training exercise to enhance the skills and abilities of regional first responders, as well as those responsible for coordinating and managing large scale events. Urban Shield is implemented to identify and stretch regional resources to their limits, while expanding regional collaboration and building positive relationships. In addition, this exercise provides increased local business and critical infrastructure collaboration. Urban Shield challenges the skills, knowledge and abilities of all who participate. It not only improves regional disaster response capabilities, but provides a platform for national and international first responders, as well as the private sector, to work efficiently and effectively together when critical incidents occur.

> This event is not limited to teams from the Bay Area. It is open to any team wishing to participate. In 2014, teams from Singapore and South Korea will participate. Teams In past years, teams from the Boston Police Department, the French National Police and other national and international jurisdictions have participated. Observers have come from many international areas including Bahrain and the State of Israel. In 2011, teams from Jordan, Bahrain and the State of Israel participated in the training scenarios.
>
> Urban Shield is a unique tactical training exercise involving thousands of hours of planning and preparation. The event allows participating agencies a practical opportunity to evaluate their tactical team’s level of preparedness and ability to perform a variety of intricate first responder operations. The dual benefit of this event allows each agency to evaluate its own tactical capabilities while training together with EMS, Fire, and EOD to identify our ability to cope with large scale events at a Regional level.


https://www.urbanshield.org/

-------------------------------------------

Oakland Council Gets Earful Over ‘Urban Shield’ War Games
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
by Darwin BondGraham and Ali Winston

For the past seven years, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office has hosted the “Urban Shield” SWAT team competition at various locations across the Bay Area, attracting dozens of tactical units from law enforcement agencies throughout the nation and the world. The whole show — it's as much theater as it is practical exercise — is sponsored by major weapons manufacturing companies like ATK, which makes everything from small caliber bullets to depleted uranium ammunition. Over the years, the Oakland City Council has routinely approved expenditures and reimbursements for the participation of the Oakland Police and Fire Departments in Urban Shield.

The presence of firearms vendors at the Urban Shield trade show also touched a nerve. “They don't allow gun shows in Oakland, so why would we allow a cop-oriented gun show at the Marriot?” said Buford.

OPD's SWAT Entry team has competed in Urban Shield for the past six years. The officers who participate in Urban Shield have a checkered backgrounds as being involved in multiple officer-involved shootings, beatings, and crowd control fiascos.The 2009 OPD SWAT team that won the competition consisted of Sergeants Patrick Gonzales and Roland Holmgren and Officers Frank Uu, Chris Saunders, Casey Johnson, Anwan Jones, Shane Tarum, and Marty Ziebarth.

The entire SWAT team has been involved in at least one officer involved shooting and were deployed during Occupy Oakland as part of the Tango Teams that wantonly used less lethal weaponry against demonstrators. Uu retired in early 2012 shortly before the Express reported that he was the officer who severely beat Kayvan Sabeghi on November 2, 2011. Gonzales has been involved in several crowd-control fiascos, illegal strip searches, and controversial officer-involved shootings.

Reverend Buford expressed alarm when informed of the records of OPD officers who participated in past Urban Shield exercises. “This confirms my worst suspicion, that there's an element in policing that loves to see civil unrest and chaos because it gives them a chance to practice their hunting techniques,” Buford said, pointing to the murder of unarmed civilians by New Orleans Police Officers during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The full council will discuss the approval of OFD's proposed expenditure and its participation in Urban Shield at its October 1 meeting.

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2013/09/25/oakland-council-gets-earful-over-urban-shield-war-games

[Hoyt]

1. The biggest problem with militarization of police forces is military is tolerant of mistakes and

collateral damage.

I do think there are reasons to have some armored vehicles, military weapons, etc. Hell, they have to deal with well armed criminals including Bundy Ranch type militas, gun lovers on a gun and right wing high, etc.

But, we've gone way to far.

[KoKo]

3. Agree there might be some reason for some of the equipment but

Last edited Wed Aug 20, 2014, 08:50 AM - Edit history (1)

Not ALL and Not the Training Tactics that Emphasis Anti-Terrorist Training Tactics.

If there was an horrific incident in a massive Protest Movement....and the Trained Response Teams viewed "Occupy Wall Street" or "Quakers Against the Wars" as TERRORISTS.....then they would be treated as ISIS....a Danger to America...

That's where stuff crosses the line in training. And if you view their Website and read the Oakland Newspapers Comments...it makes it plain...that there is "A PROBLEM."

And, Congress and our President need to get on this ASAP with what's going on in Ferguson.

I remember "Kent State" (when I was young and found it horrifying) and I never wanted to see anything like that again in my Lifetime here in the USA where we Pontificate to the World that WE ARE BETTER THAN THEM! ...but here I am! SO....I will Speak Out when I see the same Creeping Militarization against Innocents!

[TheKentuckian]

8. There is a purpose, it isn't sneaky. Occupation and counter insurgency focused on gorilla defense.

That is what the training and equipment are expressly for. The only reason to theorize any further is want to and hope so.

[truth2power]

2. K&R

[truth2power]

4. Thanks for posting this, KoKo, because I think it's high time that there was a discussion

about the militarization of the civilian police forces in this country.

I would like to add to your post the following:

It's not only about DHS dumping tanks and weapons on every PD in the country, but hundreds of PDs across America are sending their staff to Israelfor counter-terrorism training. Then these people come back here and they're loaded for bear, so to speak.

If anyone is wondering why the police are treating ordinary citizens as terrorists, I can only say that you can expect little else when civilian PDs are being trained in MILITARY tactics.
At least 2 chiefs of the St. Louis PD have made the trek to Israel to learn how to deal with terrorists. We, the people are not terrorists and don't deserve to be shot down in the street for the most insignificant reasons. Why is this being allowed to continue?

When you start researching this you'll find that Israel has trained someone in practically every PD in this country, with tactics that are brutal in the extreme. This has got to be brought out into the open. I read that more Americans are crushed from having their furniture or their TVs fall on them than are killed by terrorists every year. The fear-mongering is tearing people's lives apart.

Now, for anyone who wishes to take issue with what I've written, I have links, from the ADL to JINSA and others. I do not know what's going on with the internet tonight. Maybe everyone is viewing live stream from Ferguson. I have been working on two separate computers to try to put together one post.

I can't get any links to work. I can't even get into my email - that little wheel thingie just keeps spinning and finally times-out. I can come back to this thread tomorrow and post some links that I hope someone here will be willing to view. My apologies.

[sabrina 1]

5. You are correct regarding our police receiving training in Israel. The former chief of police in

Ferguson, eg, did so.

The Ferguson Palestine Connection

The St. Louis County Police Department that killed Michael Brown and initially placed Ferguson on siege has trained with the Israeli military. Former County Police Chief Timothy Fitch was one of 15 American officials to participate in a weeklong training in Israel three years ago.

......

Over 9,000 American officials have trained with Israeli police and military units on responding to civilian protests and terrorism. These operations reflect failure to distinguish between the apparent duty of police to protect civilians and military responses to war. This fusion has had life-costing implications for Americans, specifically black, Muslim and Arab people.

In 2006, 92-year-old Kathryn Johnson was shot and killed by Atlanta police, who had participated in an exchange program with Israeli soldiers on counterterrorism and drug enforcement. The Oakland police who used tear gas and rubber bullets against Occupy Oakland protesters in 2010 were fresh off a joint training exercise with Israeli and Bahraini police forces. An NYPD official reported that the department's now-disbanded "Demographics Unit," which spied on Muslim and Arab citizens, was modeled on Israel's practices in the West Bank.

A statement of Palestinian solidarity with African Americans from the article also:

"Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network salutes the people of Ferguson, joins their call for justice for Michael Brown and for an end to police oppression, mass incarceration and militarization, and stands in solidarity with Black movements struggling for justice and liberation."

Why are our CIVILIAN POLICE training with Israeli SOLDIERS?

As the article says, they love these situations of 'unrest' where they get to test out all their 'military training and equipment'.

They were tested on OWS also.

Who made the decision to allow this? Where are the leaders we elected to protect this Democracy? I'm hearing only from a few regarding this frightening trend which has apparently been going on for several decades.

[KoKo]

9. Here's a bit of interesting news about St. Louis County Police Chief's Training:

St. Louis County Police Chief Timothy Fitch visits Israel for counter-terrorism

This was a from someone who found the article and thought it interesting.

--------

http://archive.ksdk.com/news/article/251178/147/Chief-Fitch-visiting-Israel-for-counter-terrorism-

Here is the entire short article:

St. Louis County, MO (KSDK) - St. Louis County Police Chief Timothy Fitch will be part of a national delegation of law enforcement officials traveling to Israel next month to study counter-terrorism tactics.

Over a weeklong visit, the delegation will learn how Israel's police, intelligence and security forces prevent terror attacks, and includes visits to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Tiberias. Law enforcement will be briefed by members of the Israel National Police, the Israel Defense Forces, among others.

The trip is part of the Anti-Defamation League's National Counter-Terrorism Seminar.

[sabrina 1]

13. Check this out re the NYPD. I though the 'New York' in NYPD meant they were the New York PD.

Apparently they started a branch, with one officer, in Israel?

NYPD Opens Branch in Israel

Officers have been stationed in London, Lyons, Hamburg, Toronto, and Tel Aviv, New York Magazine reports.

Several FBI officials have raised concerns that NYPD operatives abroad consistently break the laws of foreign governments.

Stateside the department has been under intense scrutiny for its surveillance efforts, which many civil liberties advocates say wrongfully target innocent Muslims, without creating any known leads.

So the NYPD is a Global PD. Too tired right now to post more, but this is scary stuff. We saw a lot of this during OWS. We apparently have foreigners participating in the beating of American Citizens exercising their Constitutional Rights. Who has allowed this happen?

[KoKo]

15. A bit more that's disturbing...

(I thought this was job of our CIA to be in foreign countries -- not Local U.S. Police Departments who are paid by US Taxpayers to be Peacekeepers at home in their own cities and States and responsible to the laws of their local city and state governments)
-----------

NYPD presence in foreign nations is nothing new. When planning to post more officers abroad, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said in 2010, "The NYPD has a great brand overseas. There's high expectations that come with these postings and we want to meet it, so that means a very careful selection process on our end."

Officers have been stationed in London, Lyons, Hamburg, Toronto, and Tel Aviv, New York Magazine reports.

Several FBI officials have raised concerns that NYPD operatives abroad consistently break the laws of foreign governments.

[KoKo]

10. OOPs...some glitch...this posted twice sorry.

[KoKo]

17. "Operation Urban Shield" Rears Ugly Face with Wall St. Invester in UBER!

Kick for background..

[woo me with science]

6. K&R Thank you for this post.

I was so busy copying it before, that I forgot to rec it.

It's so important that we move beyond generalized protest to identify, target and demand an end to the actual sources of militarization.

[WinkyDink]

7. Slogan: "All the War Fun Without Leaving the Country!"

[KoKo]

11. Ginormous Trade Show for Weapons Producers with Training Included...

What could go wrong there? Get lots of young folks excited who are training to be police or ex-military excited that there's a jobs future for them with BIG TOYS.... and FUN being SOMEBODY...a RAMBO...working against those Terrorists who live within us here in the USA..... Whip up that enthusiasm we had when we were young and train it to Military Police keeping people Safe....Patriotism...and Power...when we were young...and if we were jobless...it might have all sounded really good.

And, if one only watched CNN or FAUX news from cradle to adulthood....you might not know any different. Being of the Vietnam Era where the Propaganda wasn't so overwhelming as it is now (we had the "Fairness Doctrine" and other Media Safeguards which have been dismantled)...But, we have to realize that there's whole new generations who've been fed lies, half truths and really don't know any different...

[truth2power]

12. As Sabrina said, upthread, "Why are our civilian police

training with Israeli soldiers?

This is unconscionable. Have people failed to be outraged about this because it touches a political "third rail", which is a criticism of Israel?

I am appalled by all of this. Now there are SWAT team competitions. Does anyone really believe that having our civilian police training with the military of another country (Israel or anywhere else) is not going to have repercussions when they try to police the streets of our cities? We're seeing it play out in Ferguson, MO. Believe your own eyes.

And former Chief Fitch is not the only official from Ferguson who trained in Israel. Go to http://www.jinsa.org/files/leepParticipants.pdf for a list of nearly 100 participants in the Jinsa Israel Program for Law Enforcement Executives (2004-2009). Scroll down to the M's and you'll see the name of Joseph J. Mokwa, (former) Chief of St. Louis PD.

While browsing DU this evening I happened on the video of the shooting to death of another black man, yesterday, by the St. Louis PD. His name was Kajieme Powell. He was obviously agitated and pacing back and forth on the sidewalk. The officers who had been summoned to the scene pulled up and within about 15 seconds they shot him dead, in a hail of bullets.

Yes, I watched it. I was sickened! These killings are NOT the actions of rational individuals. They are the actions of enraged, hate-filled, out of control, men who are just looking for someone to "waste".

They've been brainwashed by the fear-mongering about terrorists that's been going on at least since 9/11, And yet, the fact is that you're more likely to die from having your furniture fall on you, or being struck by lightning or contracting Malaria than being killed by a terrorist here in the US.

Unless, of course, like the animals in the novel "Animal Farm", peering into the window of the farmer's house and looking from pig to man and man to pig they found they couldn't tell the difference. We may find that our home-grown terrorists resemble more and more those wearing police uniforms.

[woo me with science]

14. kick

[KoKo]

16. Hopefully we can Dig Into this Militarization of America's Police Force on our Tax Dollars

going forward.. It's the Next Step..in reclaiming our Democracy/Republic. ....Or at least what many of us grew up being taught that it was a Democracy!

[KoKo]

18. Kick...Back in the News!