09/26/2024
JFC Security, LLC, Area Police Departments to Be Extra Vigilant During Holidays
KIRSTEN BEARD | CJN
Article reprinted with permission from Cleveland Jewish News
As the High Holy Days arrive, safety is a top priority with the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack by Hamas in Israel falling during the holidays and antisemitism on the rise. Jewish organizations and local law enforcement are planning to insure the community is safe as they celebrate the Jewish new year and other holidays.
“This year obviously feels different after Oct. 7 last year,” Jim Hartnett, David P. Miller director of community security of JFC Security, LLC., security provider of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, told the Cleveland Jewish News on Sept. 13. “There’s a greater concern for our community’s security, and we are putting additional resources out to make sure that it’s a safe and secure holiday for all community members.”
Ahead of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah, the Federation, the Beachwood Police Department, the Cleveland Heights Police Department and the University Heights Police Department, shared how synagogues and individuals can stay vigilant and what their forces are doing to protect their communities. Those cities accounted for nearly 33,000 Jewish residents, or 40% of the area’s Jewish people, according to the 2011 Greater Cleveland Jewish Population Study, the most recent study.
“We meet with all the area law enforcement agencies prior to the holidays to make them aware that this is our busy time of year and that we have to redouble our efforts to try and protect the community,” Hartnett said.
In addition to an increase in law enforcement personnel for the holidays, there are advanced security technologies being used “below the surface,” and not readily discernible to the general public, including camera analytics, automated license plate readers, emergency communications, intelligence gathering and other tools to help protect the community.
“It may not be clearly obvious to the community, but it’s in place to enhance our overall security,” Hartnett said.
Local law enforcement is constantly collaborating with the JFC Security and other Jewish entities for safety and security, according to Beachwood Police Chief Daniel Grispino, University Heights Police Chief Dustin Rogers and Cleveland Heights Police Chief Chris Britton.
“The safety and well-being of our residents are always the top priority for the City of Beachwood and its police department,” Grispino, who replaced retiring Police Chief Katherine McLaughlin on Aug. 12, wrote to the CJN in an email on Sept. 17. “Given the current climate and concerns surrounding antisemitism, we have taken additional steps to ensure the security of our community, particularly during the high holy days.”
Grispino, Rogers and Britton said their police departments have prepared for increased patrols and visibility at all Jewish institutions during the High Holy Days.
“The University Heights Police Department understands the concerns of the Jewish community and takes them very seriously and will diligently be on the lookout for anything (or) anyone that may be concerning or out of the ordinary,” Rogers wrote to the CJN in a Sept. 13 email. “We will continue to work closely with our local, state, federal, private and JFC Security partners to monitor intelligence received and to collaborate resources accordingly.”
Britton wrote the CJN in a Sept. 12 email the Cleveland Heights police department will approach the holidays with an “extra level of alertness.”
“There will be an increase in patrols and special attention given to the Jewish Community and establishments,” Britton said.
Rogers said some institutions have hired off-duty officers to provide additional security.
“We ask that anybody who sees something that is out of the ordinary to call us immediately so that we may investigate,” Rogers said. “Understanding that there may be restrictions in place within the Orthodox community with regards to the use of phones, we still encourage people to contact us in case of emergency any way possible, as soon as possible.”
Hartnett said it is essential for synagogues and other organizations in the community to have the proper training to prepare for any emergency situation. This training is offered monthly through JFC Security at no cost. Information about upcoming training courses can be found on the Federation website.
“We are putting a greater emphasis on community training,” he said. “The best way to keep the community safe from those that may be looking to cause harm is for everyone to know their responsibility in reporting suspicious activity and taking the initiative to get involved. To not only see something and say something, but to do something and to understand if they get caught in a hostile situation, the best tactics they can use to stay safe for themselves and their family.”
Outside of the holidays, Hartnett said there is a constant open communication channel between the Federation, local law enforcement, synagogues and other Jewish organizations to help maintain security for the community.
“We are in constant contact with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, our local area police chiefs, Northeast Ohio Regional Fusion Center, Secure Community Network and other Federation security directors in Ohio to make sure we’re all sharing intelligence and quickly vetting any real or perceived threats directed against the community in an expeditious manner,” he said.
Looking ahead, Hartnett said as the Jewish High Holy Days, Oct. 7 commemorations and November presidential election approach, “it’s now more than ever time to be focused on community safety.”
“Our ultimate goal is to be able to help our community members live an open, vibrant Jewish life without fear, and this takes everybody doing their part and working with our law enforcement partners,” Hartnett said.
