Israel Police

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File:ILPolice.jpg
Israeli Police logo

The Israel Police (Hebrew: משטרת ישראל, Mishteret Yisrael) is a civilian force in the State of Israel. As with most other police forces in the world, its duties include crime fighting, traffic control and maintaining public safety. It is under the jurisdiction of the Internal Security ministry.

The current police commissioner is Rav-Nitzav Dudi Cohen, who succeeded Rav-Nitzav Moshe Karadi.

The Headquarters of the Israel Police (specifically called Hebrew: מטה ארצי, mateh artzi, National Commandment) are located in Jerusalem, in the neighbourhood (former East-Jerusalem) of Nachal Egoz (Vadi Dzhoz, Arabic: وادي الجوز Wādī [l-]Jūz).

In case of emergency, a civilian in Israel can reach the police by dialing 100 from any telephone.

Roles

  • Security
    • Counter terror.
    • Keep public's security.
    • Maintain public order.
    • Securing public events, rallies and holidays.
    • Handling suspicious objects and explosives (EOD).
    • Securing schools.
    • Riot control / crowd control.
  • Law enforcement
  • Crime fighting
    • Fight crime.
    • Detective work.
    • Covert operations against drug networks.
    • Investigating suspects.
  • Traffic control
  • Police and community
    • Operating the Civil Guard (Mishmar Ezrachi -or Mashaz- in Hebrew).
    • Handling civilian complaints.
    • Handling youth violence and crime.
    • Educating the community and participating in educational campaigns.

Organization

Diagram - organizational structure

The Israeli Police is a professional force, with some 30,000 officers on payroll. There are also some 70,000 Civil Guard (Mash'az) volunteers who contribute time to assist officers in their own communities.

The police is divided into the following main divisional groups:

Headquarters units

  • International Relations
  • Legal Counsel
  • Immigration Control
  • Audit & Accounts
  • Economic Crimes
  • Public Complaints
  • Disciplinary Court
  • Service Administration
  • Safety
  • Appeals
  • Controller
  • Spokesperson

Departments

Latest Patrol Cars, Škoda Octavia II
  • Human Resources
  • Investigation & Intelligence
  • Logistic Support
  • Organization & Planning
  • Traffic
  • Patrol & Security
  • Community & Civil Guard

Regional districts

  • Central District
  • Southern District
  • Northern District
  • Judea & Samaria District
  • Tel Aviv District
  • Jerusalem District

Operational units

  • The Border Police ("MAGAV") is the combat arm of the police and mainly serves in unquiet areas - the borders, the West Bank, and the rural countryside. The Border Police has both professional officers on payroll and conscripts, serving 3 mandatory years in the Border Police instead of in the Israeli Defence Forces.
  • The Yamam is the police elite counter terror hostage rescue unit. It is known as one of the most experienced and specialized in the world. The unit has taken part in hundreds of operations in and outside the borders of Israel.
  • The Yassam (Special Patrol Unit) is the on-call counter-terror unit in each district. The units, originally started as Riot Police, were called upon to assist with counter-terror operations. It has gained a reputation of being the most elite force on call and ready at any time. The Yassam has sub-units of Rapid Response Motorcycle Units.

Weapons and gear

Israeli police officers are obliged to carry personal firearms while on duty. This is because the Israeli police duties include also counter terror and each police officer must be able to supply an emergency reaction in case of terrorist attack. Another reason is that there are threats of kidnapping officers by Palestinian terrorist groups such as Hamas or Fatah's Tanzim.

Each policeman is armed with a pistol (handgun) which he or she usually also carries at 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 defence 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.

Heavy armaments such as assault rifles, sniper rifles and non-lethal weapons are assigned according to activity and not on personal basis.

Border policemen, however, carry an M16 assault rifle as a standard personal weapon and can carry it home while off-duty (like regular infantry in the Israel Defense Forces).

Issued weaponry

M1 Carbine of Mash'az
Remington 700PSS sniper rifle
Jericho 941 F handgun

Standard issued rifles (non-combat):

  • M1 Carbine (also standard issued weapon of the Mash'az - Civil Guard)
  • M1A1 Carbine (modernized M1 Carbine with folding stock)
  • M1 Carbine bullpup
  • Micro-Galil 5.56 mm submachine gun

Standard issued assault rifle (combat):

Sniper rifles

Handguns

Non lethal weapons:

Ranks

Rank (Hebrew) English equivalent
Enlisted
Constable שוטר Shoter
Lance Corporal רב שוטר Rav Shoter
Corporal סמל שני Samal Sheni
Sergeant סמל ראשון Samal Rishon
Sergeant Major רב סמל Rav Samal
Staff Sergeant Major רב סמל ראשון Rav Samal Rishon
Advanced Staff Sergeant Major רב סמל מתקדם Rav Samal Mitkadem
Senior Staff Sergeant Major רב סמל בכיר Rav Samal Bakhir
Senior NCO רב נגד Rav Nagad
Officer
Sub-Inspector מפקח משנה Mefake'ah Mishneh
Inspector מפקח Mefake'ah
Chief Inspector פקד Pakad
Superintendent רב פקד Rav Pakad
Chief Superintendent סגן ניצב Sgan Nitzav
Commander ניצב משנה Nitzav Mishneh
Brigadier General תת ניצב Tat Nitzav
Major General ניצב Nitzav
Commissioner רב ניצב Rav Nitzav
Source: Israel Police website (Hebrew version)

Honors and Awards

List of General Commissioners

See also

External links

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