In 2020, the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater launched the Regional Safety & Security Initiative in partnership with the Secure Community Network (SCN), with seed funding from the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater annual campaign and a Tidewater Jewish Foundation Community Impact Grant.
Through it we are able to leverage collective resources to develop and share best practices for emergency communication, security awareness and training, and disaster response with our partners in local synagogues and agencies along with local, state and federal law enforcement partners. Ultimately, our goal is to raise the baseline level of safety and security throughout our Jewish community and beyond. As John F. Kennedy said, “a rising tide lifts all boats.”
The program provides an array of safety services and training to nonprofits and religious organizations of any denomination.
The Regional Security Advisor meets with an organization’s leadership to identify needs and develop a roadmap for building a strong safety and security posture and culture.
Nationally, SCN maintains a duty desk with on-call analysts available to the Jewish community leaders and government partners.
The Regional Security Advisory and SCN offer classes in situational awareness, active threat response, and Greeter-usher practices customized to the needs of each organization. The training builds personal confidence, preparedness, and resilience in the face of a crisis or emergency.
Since the inception of an RSA in Tidewater, the Initiative has trained hundreds of community members in situational awareness and other types of safety measures, served all of Tidewater’s local Jewish organizations, helped secure more funding through Homeland Security grants, continues to provide workshops on grant applications and build bridges throughout the community.
July 2023-June 2024
People trained
in SCN Workshops
Exercises & Drills
including SCN alert tests
Law Enforcement Briefings
with state and local authorities
Safety & Security
Workshops and Consultations
The IRF is a standardized online form the public can use to report threats, incidents, or suspicious activity related to Jewish organizations, facilities, or community members.
The IRF is a key component of the partnership that exists between local communities and the Secure Community Network (SCN), the official safety and security organization for the Jewish community in North America. The use of the form ensures a coordinated, best-practice approach to incident reporting and follow-up.
The Jewish community is facing the most complex and dynamic threat environment in modern history. Each year, SCN receives reports of or identifies a record number of threats. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
nearly two-thirds of religiously motivated hate crimes in the U.S. target the Jewish community. Consistent and coordinated reporting of threats, incidents, and suspicious activity is a critical part of the security shield SCN is working with Federations and other partners to build over the Jewish community in North America.
The IRF was developed following an extensive review of suspicious activity reporting forms, and coordination with security professionals and partners in law enforcement and homeland security.
The IRF can be used to report:
In-person assaults or threats
Suspicious persons or activity
Property damage or vandalism
Threatening or suspicious phone calls, text messages, or social media
Suspicious packages or letters
Spam and phishing emails
Antisemitic or threatening flyers
Other incidents of concern to the Jewish community
Information submitted through the form will go directly to the JCRC security professionals. A copy will also go to the 24-hour Duty Desk in SCN’s National Jewish Security Operations Command Center, where it is reviewed by intelligence analysts using best practices. The SCN Duty Desk will be available to assist and support the local security professional at JCRC, including determining what people or facilities may be at risk while protecting the civil liberties of all parties. Credible threats are referred to local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and Jewish facility leaders as needed.
Yes. Although information can be reported anonymously, contact information is very helpful to analysts or law enforcement officers to ask for additional information or clarification.
No. The Incident Reporting Form does not replace the ability for anyone to contact a local security professional directly using whatever methods of contact they have already established, or to call the Duty Desk at 844-SCN-DESK. The new form provides an enhanced ability to support the security professional with a 24/7 capability, allows the security professional to collect specific information, and for SCN’s national team to ensure information is properly passed to key federal partners.
The IRF is also available on SCN’s website at securecommunitynetwork.org for threats, incidents, or suspicious activity in areas not served by communities that use the IRF. SCN partners with Hillel International and ADL to provide ReportCampusHate.org for concerns related to colleges and universities, and partners with the Orthodox Union to provide OU.org/ReportHate for concerns related to the Orthodox Jewish community.
In an emergency, always call 9-1-1 first. If online reporting is not practical, follow established protocols to report suspicious activity – including contacting local law enforcement and/or the relevant suspicious activity reporting authority – and contact the SCN Duty Desk at dutydesk@securecommunitynetwork.org or by calling 844-SCN-DESK.
The program is led by Tidewater’s Regional Security Advisor (RSA), former Norfolk Chief of Police, Mike Goldsmith, who works directly with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners. He is supported by SCN’s nationwide network of advisors, UJFT leadership, and the UJFT’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) Director.
He also works closely with the state and national partners including the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC) and ADL, faith leaders, and elected officials enabling us to foster a culture of empowerment, collaboration, and vigilance.
Mike Goldsmith is a former law enforcement officer and Deputy City Manager for the City of Norfolk, with nearly 35 years of experience in the field. He has worked in various capacities, including patrol operations, special operations, criminal and administrative investigations, and homeland security. He was appointed Chief of the Norfolk Police Department in 2012.
For SCN, Goldsmith is responsible for developing and administering a comprehensive program that provides risk mitigation, security consultations, assessments, and training to Jewish institutions throughout the region. He is also slated to teach SCN’s flagship training courses such as Be Aware: Introduction to Situational Awareness, Countering Active Threat Training, and Stop the Bleed®.
FOR QUESTIONS OR MORE INFORMATION
Contact Mike Goldsmith, Tidewater Regional Security Advisor
Mobile: 872.273.9103 • Direct: 872.204.3884 • Duty Desk: 844.SCN.Desk (844.726.3375)