Israel's-sponsored trips

"A slew of Cambridge residents on Monday criticized an Anti-Defamation League-sponsored trip last year to Israel in which public safety officials learned counterterrorism strategies.  Late last year, a delegation of 16 senior law enforcement officials from towns throughout the northeastern United States  — including Cambridge Fire Chief Gerard E. Mahoney, Cambridge Police Deputy Superintendent Paul Ames — went to Israel to observed that country’s counterterrorism strategies and tactics.  Of the 34 Cambridge residents who came to speak at a Cambridge City Council meeting, 25 of them mentioned disapproval of Cambridge public safety officials taking the trip.  For the agenda of Monday’s city council meeting, Councilor Marjorie Decker had submitted an order noting that Police Commissioner Robert Haas had described a similar 2009 trip as “not particularly useful.” The order asked City Manager Bob Healy to investigate the rational for and the substance of both trips.

Decker criticized Healy for not having told councilors of the trip."