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Law Enforcement

Additional Resources

During the Holocaust, the police were central figures not just in maintaining public order but also in combating so-called racial enemies of the Nazi state. They also played a key role in the concentration, deportation, and murder of Jews in Nazi-controlled Europe. Explore this history through the links below.

The Museum engages with law enforcement at the federal, state, and local level to learn about the role of police in Nazi Germany and to reflect on their role in a democratic society today.

About the LEAS Program

Our signature program, Law Enforcement and Society: Lessons of the Holocaust (LEAS), is presented in partnership with the Anti-Defamation League. Established in 1999 at the request of DC Metropolitan Police Department, the program is suitable for recruit, in-service, and command professionals in law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels. To date, this innovative program has reached more than 150,000 officers from the US and 80 countries worldwide.

About the Community Engagement Program

This innovative program brings together members of the DC Metropolitan Police Department, local community members, and the Museum’s Bringing the Lessons Home Ambassadors to examine the role of police in Nazi Germany in order to better understand the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve today.

Contact Us

To learn more about the program and the Museum’s resources for law enforcement, contact: 

Sarah Reza Program Manager, Law and Justice Initiatives sreza@ushmm.org

Learn more about our staff.

The Law Enforcement and Society: Lessons of the Holocaust program receives valuable ongoing support from The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation and Drs. Donald and Gwen Hecht.