Commissioner (Ret.) Shachar Ayalon

Former Commander, Fire and Rescue Service; & Fellow, ICT, Israel

A nationally recognized civil servant and practitioner of community service and policing, Commissioner Ayalon reformed the Fire and Rescue Activities of the State of Israel that has been in a difficult situation after the Mt. Carmel wildfire that killed 44 people and burned 12,000 acres of the Mount Carmel forest south of Haifa.

Commissioner Ayalon was selected to this position after his most recognized and awarded 30 years of experience in major key positions at the Israeli Police and Counter Terror Special Forces. His activities through a more accountable organizational structure, new equipment and technology, an enhanced strategy of community policing within the Israel Fire and Rescue, Police and the Special Counter Terrorism Units.

A native of Jerusalem, Israel, Commissioner Ayalon served in the Israeli Crime prevention, Fire and Rescue Forces and Counter Terrorism units for over three decades in a variety of assignments. He began his career in 1977, at the age of 24 as a member of Israel’s “Yamam” – Counter Terrorism Special Forces unit. He became a police officer in 1980, and was promoted through the ranks, eventually serving as commander of patrol, detectives units, Police Commander of various cities in Israel, Head of Israel’s police Traffic Department, Deputy Police Commissioner and Chief of Police of Tel Aviv Region. In 1990, he was awarded with one of Israel’s Police highest honors – the Distinguished Service Medal.