Over 700 Albanians part of American law enforcement bodies

Bergeni is made up of 70 municipalities and is the largest city hall in New Jersey.

In an interview for Voice of America, the U.S.-born officer talks about challenges early in his career when he was only 19 years old.

I'm the first in my family to become part of the law enforcement bodies. I didn't know what was waiting for me. I didn't know where I was going. At the police academy, I didn't know how to run, how to shoot. It was a big challenge for six months. It took a lot of work and commitment. I had the mentality of a young man. But I'm happy that I started a career at a young age”, he says.

Years later, the number of members of the Sela family in American law - enforcement agencies increased. Hadis Sela is a Special Forces officer (SWAT) in the New Jersey municipality of Hudson.

And Adem Sela is a detective at the Prosecutor's Office in the municipality of Paseiki in New Jersey.

In general, there are six members of the Sela family who are police officers in New Jersey. We're in different municipalities. This is professional work, it wants dignity and a lot of work. It's a work known, unlike other jobs, so respect is the greatest”, says Officer Hadis Sela for the Voice of America.

“is a very important task for us Albanians to prove that we are hard workers. That we are willing to serve this country, for the Albanian-American community and other communities as well. We expect other Albanians to join law enforcement bodies. As a job, it's a great career, you meet a lot of people, you do a lot of things. No day is monotonous”, says Albanian-American detective Adem Sela.

Enhancing the number of Albanian-Americans to rule organs is one of the main goals of “The Albanian-American Law Implementation Association”, founded in 2019, a nationwide organisation supporting Albanians who want to start a career in the American police.

Now we're like night to day. Earlier, when we needed an experience or advice, you could not find it. It is now quite simple”, says Elton Shametaj, founder of society

According to Mr. Shametaj, a decade ago the number of Albanian-American police officers was about 200, while now that number has gone to over 700 members. He says that nearly one in 30 is a woman.

In general, Mr. Shametaj adds, the association has about 2,000 applications from Albanian-Americans interested in joining the law bodies.

Thank God in America. Only heaven is the limit. We, like everyone else, are very integrated. Albanians could complain in advance, but Albanians are now at the White House, The FBI ( Federal Bureau of Investigation), ATF (Byroro for Alcohol, Tobacco, Weapons and Exploziva), at the Department of Justice, Albanian, you have”, says the founder of this organisation Elton Shametaj.

These law enforcement men, although most of them were born in the United States, maintain strong ties with the Albanians, through participation in almost every community organisation.

Father taught me not to forget the nation, not to forget the country and tradition. To know your language, because we're Albanians. Don't forget, be close to our country and be together, to make progress as Albanians”, says Albanian Azmi Toska, who for eight years serves as police officer in the New Jersey municipality of Hudson.

According to them, as the number of Albanians in the law enforcement bodies increases, so is the perception of American society for Albanians.

Each country has citizens who participate in various criminal activities. Albanians, in every film we've seen, are portrayed as criminals, which is not true. We're family people, we're hard workers. Occupation in law enforcement is a career to boast about. It takes courage, pride and commitment”, says Altin Celealiaj, detective at the New York Port Authority and New Jersey.

The “those epithets that have put us as Albanians, when we first arrived, were just moments. We're showing ourselves in the years ahead who we really are. We're showing that we're law enforcement men, we want the good work and we want to do something useful”, adds Besmir Sayaras, police officer in New York State Island.

The Albanian-American Law Implementation Association also serves as the bridge between the American bodies of order with the police of Albania and Kosovo. /Top Channel