After two weeks in Israel, Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown has come home not only with new ideas for the county, but with a new sense of peace.

As part of the Georgia Law Enforcement Exchange Program, Brown and other senior law enforcement members traveled to Tel Aviv and spent 15 days there alongside members of Israeli law enforcement, studying counter-terrorism, emergency management and other policing strategies.

Brown was one of 17 delegates from the United States, 16 of which were from Georgia, including Sherry Land, an agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation that lives in Newton County.

Brown said another reason he decided to participate in the trip was to bring new ideas and tactics from Israel to Newton County where they can be implemented to better the community.

But the whole trip wasn't focused solely on work. Brown also had the opportunity to immerse himself in the religion of the Holy Land.

"As a Christian, it was a biblical experience because of having the opportunity to be re-baptized in the Jordan River and to walk down the wall in Jerusalem and press my hands where it was said that Jesus also rested his hands," said Brown. "I had the opportunity to go and float in the Dead Sea with the thick minerals that defies all explanations, where you float on the water and see people of all kinds that are coming there for various types of healing."

Brown also spoke of the cultural lessons learned, saying it was interesting to see the daily way of life for law enforcement in Israel, and to see that the problems they face aren't all that different from the ones in Newton County.

"I was able to see firsthand the threats Israel is faced with day-to-day, but yet they are still able to protect themselves. I have an overall different perspective on things now. From the budget shortfalls to the lack of manpower... I came away with more knowledge to improve security and I am more convinced today of the needs for the U.S. to protect our borders. Even though we are unlike Israel where there are enemies on each side of them, we do know it's imperative that we protect our borders."