Number of employees 35,000 | Founded 1948 Number of volunteers 70,000 | |
Annual budget 8.383 billion NIS (2010) Legal personality Governmental: Government agency Governing body Israeli Ministry of Public Security Overviewed by Police Internal Investigations Department Profiles | ||
The Israel Police (Hebrew: משטרת ישראל, Mišteret Yisra'el; Arabic: شرطة إسرائيل, Shurtat Isrāʼīl) is the civilian police force of Israel. As with most other police forces in the world, its duties include crime fighting, traffic control, maintaining public safety, and counter-terrorism. It is under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Public Security.
Contents
- Israel police operations during ramadan
- Roles
- Organization
- Headquarters units
- Departments
- Regional districts
- Operational units
- Weapons and equipment
- Standard issue rifles non combat
- Standard issue rifle combat
- Sniper rifles
- Handguns
- Non lethal weapons
- Honors and awards
- Controversies
- References
The Israel Police operates throughout Israel, and the Area C of the West Bank, in all places in which Israel has civilian control. There are no local or "municipal" police departments in Israel.
The National Headquarters of the Israel Police are located at the Government offices named after Begin in Jerusalem.
In an emergency, the police can be reached by dialing 100 from any telephone in Israel.
Israel police operations during ramadan
Roles
The Israel police is responsible for public security, maintaining public order, securing public events and rallies, dismantling suspicious objects and explosives (EOD), riot and crowd control, law enforcement, crime fighting, detective work, covert operations against drug networks, investigating suspects, road traffic control, operating the Civil Guard, handling civilian complaints, handling youth violence, educational campaigns.
Organization
The Israel Police are a professional force, with some 35,000 persons on the payroll. There are also 70,000 Civil Guard volunteers who contribute time to assist officers in their own communities.
The police are divided into the following main divisional groups:
Headquarters units
Departments
Regional districts
Operational units
Weapons and equipment
Each policeman is armed with a pistol (handgun) which he or she usually also carries while off-duty. Also, each patrol car must have at least one long-arm (i.e. rifle). Police volunteers are usually armed with an M1 Carbine, which they return to the police's armory after they finish their duty (they do not take the rifle home, but may sign one out for escorting field trips, etc.). Volunteers who have a gun license may use their own personal handgun as personal defense weapon for their police duty, under the condition that the gun and ammunition type is authorized by the police (9 mm). Common pistols owned and carried by volunteers include Glock and CZ-75 designs.
Specialized armaments such as automatic rifles, bolt action rifles and non-lethal weapons are assigned according to activity and not on personal basis.
Border Guard policemen, however, carry an M16 or M4 rifle as a standard personal weapon and can carry it home while off-duty (like regular infantry in the Israel Defense Forces).
Standard-issue rifles (non-combat )
Standard issue rifle (combat)
Sniper rifles
Handguns
Non-lethal weapons
Honors and awards
Controversies
A 2014 analysis by Yesh Din questioned the professionalism of the police force of the Judea & Samaria District (also known as the West Bank) as only 7.4% of reported attacks by Israeli citizens on Palestinian persons and property had led to indictments. As of January 27, 2015, the police force is considered to be in crisis mode, given that several senior officers have resigned in recent months due to criminal investigations or accusations of sexual harassment of employees. Five police at the rank of major general have resigned in the preceding 18 months amid scandal. The February 2015 announcement that another senior Israel Police officer was under investigation for sexual harassment met with "severe backlash" by women’s and rape victim advocacy groups, who held protests at police headquarters in a number of municipalities throughout Israel.
Haaretz also notes the lack of gender equality in the Israel Police, given that 30% of police are women, but not one of those at the rank of major general is a woman.