Media Contact:
Mark Genatempo
Senior Fellow, Rutgers University Miller Center
Email: mark.g@rutgers.edu
Phone: (212) 729-6552
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 19, 2025
Rutgers’ Miller Center Hosted President of European Federation of Police Unions for Strategic Meetings with NJ and NY Law Enforcement
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Dec. 16, 2025) — The Rutgers Miller Center on Policing and Community Resilience, in collaboration with the Global Consortium of Law Enforcement Training Executives (GCLETE), recently hosted Jochen Kopelke, president of the German Police Union (GdP) and newly elected president of the European Federation of Police Unions, for a three-day series of high-level meetings with New Jersey and New York public safety leadership.
Representing more than 190,000 officers in Germany and millions more across Europe, Mr. Kopelke is one of the most influential voices in international policing. His visit, from Dec. 14-16, included meetings with senior leadership of the New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP), and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
This visit marks a significant milestone in the expanding partnership between the German Police Union and the Rutgers Miller Center international initiative, Operationalizing Never Again: Not on My Watch (ONA) — a global program focused on democratic policing, ethical leadership, and community engagement.
“Police are the indispensable guardians of a democratic society. Without legitimate, professional policing, democracy itself cannot endure,” said Paul Goldenberg, deputy director of the Rutgers Miller Center and chairman of the ONA initiative. “Operationalizing Never Again is not symbolic; it is both a professional and moral obligation, particularly at this moment in history when communities of faith are increasingly under attack. This mission calls for
leaders who will confront hatred and extremism head-on and defend democratic policing without hesitation. Jochen Kopelke embodies that leadership. His stewardship of the German Police Union and the European
Federation of Police Unions, combined with Germany’s historic responsibility, uniquely positions him to serve as vice-chair of this global effort. His partnership ensures that ‘Never Again’ is not simply remembered—but actively upheld.”
“Across Europe and around the world, democratic policing is facing enormous pressure,” said Jochen Kopelke, president of the German Police Union and the European Federation of Police Unions. “This partnership with the Rutgers Miller Center allows us to stand together, learn from one another, and strengthen the values that define policing in free societies. We share a responsibility to promote professionalism, human rights, and accountability in everything we do.”
During his visit, Mr. Kopelke met with Col. Patrick Callahan, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police; Chairman Kevin O’Toole and Superintendent Ed Cetnar of the Port Authority of NY/NJ; and senior leadership from NJOHSP to discuss collaboration, community engagement, technology integration, interfaith partnerships, and
officer resilience. These discussions are helping to shape new transatlantic efforts to support frontline officers and strengthen democratic policing practices.
“The New Jersey State Police welcomed this opportunity to work alongside one of Europe’s leading law enforcement partners,” said Col. Callahan. “Sharing best practices and supporting democratic policing is essential to maintaining public trust at a time when the profession is under intense scrutiny worldwide.”
“The Port Authority Police Department understands the importance of strong international partnerships,” said Superintendent Cetnar. “Whether protecting critical infrastructure or supporting our officers through the challenges of modern policing, collaboration with global leaders like Mr. Kopelke helps all of us do our jobs more effectively and with greater purpose.”
The visit included the preparation for a historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the German Police Union and the Rutgers Miller Center. The signing will take place in Berlin in April 2026, formalizing a shared commitment to advancing democratic policing and ethical leadership through the ONA program.
As part of this collaboration, the German Police Union plans to expand the ONA curriculum throughout Germany and to send 30 senior police officials, representing every German state, to participate in the 2026 ONA training program in Poland. They will also join nearly 100 other senior officers from around the world in marching from Auschwitz to Birkenau in the March of the Living.
Beyond the commemorative march, the ONA program, developed with the University of Virginia under Program Director Ben Haiman, combines executive-level coursework and applied leadership exercises to translate historical lessons into actionable policing practices, reinforcing how essential ethical, professional law enforcement is to the survival of democratic states.
In recognition of his leadership and his nation’s deep commitment to the mission, Mr. Kopelke will also serve as Vice-Chair of the Operationalizing Never Again International Police Program, joining distinguished law enforcement officials from across North America and Europe in guiding the initiative’s global expansion.
This visit represented a major step forward in the shared international effort to strengthen democratic policing, build professional resilience among officers, and reinforce public trust in law enforcement at a time of rising global polarization.
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About Rutgers University’s Miller Center on Policing and Community Resilience
The Miller Center on Policing and Community Resilience advances research, education and outreach focused on building stronger relationships between communities and public safety institutions. As part of Rutgers University’s dedication to service, innovation and justice, the center leads initiatives that promote accountability, trust and strategic resilience in policing and community safety.
About the Eagleton Institute of Politics
The Rutgers Miller Center on Policing and Community Resilience is a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. The Eagleton Institute studies how American politics and government work and change, analyzes how democracy might improve and promotes political participation and civic engagement. The institute explores state and national politics through research, education and public service, linking the study of politics with its day-to-day practice.
About Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Rutgers University-New Brunswick is where Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, began more than 250 years ago. Ranked among the world’s top 60 universities, Rutgers’s flagship university is a leading public research institution and a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. It is home to internationally acclaimed faculty and has 12 degree-granting schools and a Division I Athletics program. It is the Big Ten Conference’s most diverse university. Through its community of teachers, scholars, artists, scientists and healers, Rutgers is equipped as never before to transform lives.