The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona took a proactive stance to harden local vigilance, bringing on 23-year law enforcement and security veteran Paul Patterson in March as the Jewish community security director. Patterson is assisting all area synagogues and agencies with facility security assessments, ensuring best practices and up-to-date training. This latest security initiative was a direct response to recent tragic national events. While continuing its strong ties with area law enforcement agencies, JFSA collaborates with the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona to fund this vital and potentially life-saving project.
Patterson, who is serving in this capacity part-time, is linked into the national Secure Community Network, part of the American Jewish community’s response to heightened security concerns in the United States. Under the auspices of the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, SCN is the only national Jewish organization exclusively dedicated to homeland security initiatives on behalf of the American Jewish community. Address local Jewish community security concerns to JFSA at 577-9393.
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