Recent verdicts published by the Disciplinary Tribunal of the Israel Police for the second quarter of 2024 once again reveal a grim picture of officers' conduct, both junior and senior, who have abused their positions and roles and the lenient punishments they receive.
The published verdicts deal with a range of disciplinary offenses that did not escalate to cases handled by the Police Investigations Department, allowing the police to investigate and prosecute these officers internally.
Many cases involved sexual harassment by police officers against female officers and volunteers. Other cases included abuse of office, false reporting, and illegal use of force against citizens.
One judgment concerned a police officer with the rank of Chief -Inspector, who served as an intelligence and undercover officer at a police station in "the Triangle" (Arab towns bordering the West Bank). He was convicted of conduct unbecoming of a police officer and was punished with a severe reprimand, demotion for two months, and a fine of 1,000 shekels.
According to the indictment, in November 2021, while on a private vacation in Eilat, he befriended a civilian woman, leading to an intimate relationship. One of their sexual encounters took place in a police vehicle, and another in the woman's car in a wooded area near Kokhav Ya'ir, where the defendant brought a radio device used in his duties.
"During the encounter, the defendant and the complainant had sexual relations. During this time, several reports were received on the radio about various events, and the defendant gave instructions to the officers handling these events via the radio, all while he was with the complainant, who was exposed to the exchanges."
The judgment further stated: "In his actions described above, by having sexual relations with the complainant, once in a police vehicle and once during a shift, when during their sexual encounter the complainant heard the reports transmitted on the police radio and the defendant gave instructions to the field, the defendant behaved in a manner unbecoming of a police officer and damaging to the police's image."
Commander of the Central District, Asst.-Ch. Avi Biton testified in favor of the officer and described him as "The driving force at the station and someone who manages the station alongside the station commander, an excellent officer, especially in his field: intelligence and undercover work. The defendant is with his men at the station almost 24 hours a day on weekends and holidays, leading activities that result in significant successes for the station - incriminations of criminals, seizures of illegal weapons, and drug trafficking."
Asst.-Ch. Biton also testified that "the reason he chose to interrupt his work routine to testify in favor of the defendant came from a place of gratitude for the defendant's work and sacrifices for the people of Israel. The defendant erred, and it is assumed he will be punished for it, but alongside this, his many merits should be remembered."
Sexual harassment of subordinates
Ch.-Supt. Shai Amir, who served as head of the investigations unit in the Defense Ministry Security Authority, was convicted of five incidents of conduct unbecoming of a police officer and damaging to the police's image, following a series of objectifying and explicit remarks towards his subordinates. Following his retirement from the organization, he was punished with a severe reprimand and a fine of about 15,000 shekels.
Amir was accused that during an introductory interview with a regular service soldier for a position in the unit, he asked if she had a boyfriend, and when she replied negatively, he asked if she "engaged in random relationships," to which she did not respond. On another occasion, he told a Sherut Leumi (national service) volunteer from the unit who entered his office during a meeting, "You don't give a damn [zayin (dick)]," after which she clarified that the remark was inappropriate, and he apologized.
According to the indictment, several women served under him in his senior role, some in national service and some soldiers. In one case, he had a conversation with his deputy, during which he asked him if the unit's "big chested" student "did it for him." Also, during that conversation, he spoke to his deputy about the breast size of a prosecutor they knew from work. Such incidents were repeated several times during his conviction. During a work meeting with his deputy and another advisor, Amir said: "As you know, we are screwed, we can no longer go to prostitutes, they've made it illegal."
The senior officer was also accused in February 2023 by several workers, including a national service volunteer, who gathered in the unit's room. At one point, the officer asked the young woman who she resembled more, her mother or father. She replied that she resembled her mother. In response, he asked to see a picture of her mother. After she showed him a picture of her, her mother, and her sister, he asked in front of the other workers present: "Have they told you that you're very beautiful?" She did not respond to his question, and he added, "You don't have to turn as red as a beet."
On another occasion, he called her to his office and asked what she would like to do in the future besides modeling, adding that "some people have been touched by God's hand." According to the indictment, the officer would make inappropriate comments towards female employees in the unit, saying, "Your perfume drives me crazy," "I give you a virtual hug," "I'm in love with you," and "I hope you're wearing the tight leggings."
Another judgment was given against an intelligence and undercover officer with the rank of Chief -Inspector in the north of the country, who was provided a police vehicle and, due to his station role, was forbidden, like other officers and commanders, to leave the station's territorial area during his shift.
According to the indictment, while on a night shift in May 2023, he was actually at his home in Harish. During the shift, two arson events occurred in the city of Arraba, within the station's territorial area, but he did not attend any of the scenes, contrary to the station commander's instructions.
The next day, the station commander noticed that the officer had not been present at any of the scenes and wrote to him: "Good morning, I am looking at two arson events in Misgav. According to the communication system, you were not at the events?" The defendant replied: "I am taking care to correct this."
Immediately after that, the defendant published a message in the system stating: "Following the vehicle arson events from last night in the Misgav station area, the intelligence and undercover officer was at the scene." The station commander, suspecting that the officer had not been at the events, approached the station's duty officer and then the shift leader, who confirmed the suspicion. After investigation, it was found that the police vehicle had been parked all that night at the defendant's home in Harish.
The station commander conducted a thorough inquiry during which the defendant continued to claim he had been at the scene, mentioning names of officers he allegedly met, changing his story several times until it was found he had not met them. He finally admitted that he had been at his home. Following the false report, a more extensive investigation was conducted, revealing a series of events where, as a night duty officer, he was actually at his parents' home.
The Israel Police stated: "The Israel Police takes any abnormal behavior that does not align with the organization's conduct norms and values very seriously, and every incident is handled accordingly. The Israel Police addresses every report raising suspicion of sexual harassment, constantly engages in awareness and prevention activities, especially in recent years, and provides extensive support to victims."