FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – Members of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office learned important lessons Monday during a trip to the Holocaust museum in Farmington Hills.
Instead of tactical training, this trip was about tolerance. The Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills can provide teaching moments that can’t be learnred from a manual or textbook, according to Sheriff Michael Bouchard.
“We were here years ago and did this before,” Bouchard said.
When Bouchard visited a Holocaust museum in Washington years ago, he said he was struck by the pictures of German police officers assisting the Nazis in rounding up Jewish people.
“That chilled me to the bone that those that were sworn to protect ended up being part of the co-op,” Bouchard said.
With hate crimes increasing, Bouchard said he wants his command staff to see it and remember their roles as protectors.
“Also to see what hate motivated to action looks like,” Bouchard said.
You can watch Jason Colthorp’s full story in the video posted above.