Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman came under heavy criticism Thursday after word spread that he spent six days in Israel on a police training program. Dozens of community members filled the Fire and Police Commission's committee room and spent more than three hours attacking both his decision to attend and the commission's handling of the trip.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Norman's name appeared on the training program's attendee roster, and multiple speakers argued that the Fire and Police Commission failed to properly vet the travel in advance. Commissioner Krissie Fung called that lapse a "critical failure," and several public commenters labeled the trip ethically and morally questionable. One speaker, the paper reported, ended his remarks with an expletive aimed at Norman.
What the program is and who runs it
The course Norman attended is part of an exchange program run by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America. The group says the visits allow U.S. law enforcement officials to study methods for preventing and responding to terrorism. Since 2001, JINSA says, the exchange has hosted hundreds of U.S. law enforcement attendees and arranged briefings with Israeli agencies, including the Israel National Police, the Ministry of Internal Security, and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), as described by JINSA.
Commissioners respond
Fire and Police Commission Executive Director Leon Todd told reporters that Norman notified the commission before the trip and that no public funds were used for his travel. Organizers from groups such as Milwaukee4Palestine highlighted the chief's attendance on social media and urged residents to turn out for the meeting, where several speakers also pushed for the department to oppose future ICE actions in Milwaukee, as reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Why the trip hit a nerve
Many speakers linked their criticism of Norman's trip to the broader, fiercely contested conflict between Israel and Hamas. International coverage has noted a ceasefire reached in October 2025 after a two-year war that left tens of thousands dead, a backdrop that made a U.S. police leader's visit to Israeli security institutions especially charged for some Milwaukee families and activists. Reporting on the ceasefire and its aftermath is available from outlets including The Guardian.
What comes next
Speakers at the commission meeting called for clearer vetting rules for international training and renewed public oversight of police partnerships. Norman remains the city's police chief after a contested 2025 reappointment that featured debate over facial recognition and transparency. Local coverage of that meeting and the reappointment is available from CBS 58 and Urban Milwaukee.
