Edmonton Police Chief says he stands by his recent trip to Israel

Edmonton Police Chief Warren Driechel speaks after an EPS town hall on Monday, July 28, 2025 in Edmonton. Photo by Greg Southam /Postmedia

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The chief of the Edmonton Police Service, Warren Driechel, says he stands by his decision to take a recent trip to Israel, saying he views it “as valuable, among multiple learning experiences I will have in this role.”

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He added: “I remain focused on my longstanding and ongoing commitment to dialogue, learning and connection across communities and across boundaries.”

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Earlier this month Edmonton police confirmed that Driechel had taken a trip to Israel in February with the Major Cities Chiefs Association, a professional organization of police executives representing large cities in Canada and the U.S.

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The police added the trip was educational, and that no contracts, equipment or training were procured. “The police chiefs attending the trip had the opportunity to gain insights into local policing in a highly complex environment, including critical incident response, threat preparedness and community engagement,” the police said in a statement.

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The trip drew support as well as criticism from the Edmonton community. Last week, 26 mosques and Muslim organizations in the city sent a joint letter to the police commission, expressing “profound disappointment and hurt” and saying Dreichel’s trip had caused “deep pain” for those affected by the conflict in the Middle East.

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The letter asked why the trip was approved, what lessons and practices were learned, and how the commission would address the “loss of confidence” within the community.

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It concluded: “Without satisfactory answers to the above, we collectively believe that the only acceptable answer would be to ask for the resignation of the Chief.”

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In his statement, released on X, Driechel wrote that on the trip he spent time with police officers from Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Druze faiths, representing a wide range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

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“I also met with Muslim community leaders who shared openly about their concerns and their reasons for working with police,” he wrote. “These officers and community leaders operate in an environment that demands extraordinary vigilance — managing crime, counter terrorism, supporting community and crisis response all amid extreme complexity.”

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He continued: “Police to police we were able to talk about the toll this work takes on the people who do it. We talked about building trust in communities where there is little trust. We were able to get a glimpse of the undertaking required to police in complex environments.

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“I am grateful for what I was able to learn and share with those we visited and among my North American peers. These missions offer a great deal of insight and valuable perspective. I am grateful for the continued leadership and support of the Edmonton Police Commission who have supported me in this.”

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Driechel concluded: “As police we focus on behavior, not beliefs. Where I have felt challenged this week is in the implication that any community group should have the right to direct where we can learn.”

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