By Police1 Staff
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. & CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Rutgers University Miller Center on Policing and Community Resilience and the University of Virginia’s Center for Public Safety and Justice are leading the largest global law enforcement delegation to participate in the International March of the Living, commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
On April 24, 2025, more than 60 law enforcement leaders from the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom and Africa — along with members of the Global Consortium for Law Enforcement Training Executives (GCLETE) — will join Holocaust survivors, descendants, and participants from around the world for the annual march from Auschwitz to Birkenau. The event honors the victims of the Holocaust and serves as a stand against contemporary hate and extremism.
The delegation includes representatives from the International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Sheriffs’ Association, International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, Small & Rural Law Enforcement Executives Association, and police unions from Germany and Sweden. Organizers say it is the largest law enforcement presence in the event’s 35-year history.
Paul Goldenberg, Chair of the International Police Delegation (second from left), speaking with Colonel Patrick Callahan, Superintendent of the NJSP (left), Sgt. Mudduser Malik, President of the NJ Muslim Troopers Association (third from left), & Lt. Marc. Zislin (Right), President of the NJ Jewish Troopers Association, at the 2024 MOTL event in Poland.
Courtesy of Mark Genatempo
The March is a culminating experience for a new executive training program, Operationalizing Never Again: The Role of Law Enforcement in the Holocaust and Contemporary Genocide, jointly developed by Rutgers and UVA. The program explores the historical role of policing during the Holocaust and provides strategies for addressing antisemitism, bias, and human rights issues in today’s law enforcement landscape.
“This program provides an opportunity for leaders to reflect, learn, and take actionable steps to ensure accountability and ethical leadership in their organizations,” said Paul Goldenberg, Chair of the Police Delegation and Chief Advisor to the Rutgers Miller Center. “It is not just about remembering history — it’s about applying its lessons to present-day challenges.”
John J. Farmer Jr., director of the Rutgers Miller Center, emphasized the initiative’s goal of bridging gaps between law enforcement and communities through education. “It’s all too easy to view the Holocaust as history; the March of the Living insists on its relevance to human rights, to best policing practices, and to the future human prospect,” he said.
Marvin Ben Haiman, Executive Director of UVA’s Center for Public Safety and Justice, described the program and March participation as “a life-changing experience” designed to prepare leaders to navigate ethical challenges and promote justice in evolving social environments.
Phyllis Greenberg Heideman, president of the International March of the Living, called the law enforcement delegation “a powerful testament” to global efforts to prevent future atrocities.
For more information, visit www.motl.org.
