Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the Minister of Public Security, Avi Dicter decided together with the Minister of Finance, to reinforce the Israel Police with 1000 extra police officers in order to further confront the crime in Israel. Following the decision, the new officers will be recruited in the near future and will be posted mainly in field work in areas with higher crime rates. The reinforcement was initiated by Minister Dicter with the goal to strengthen the personal safety of Israel's citizens and to better deal with the crime which harms the quality of life in Israel.
During the Israeli Cabinet meeting this week, Minister Dicter and the Commissioner of the Israel Police, Inspector General Dudi Cohen, presented the police's work plan and goals for the upcoming years, including the deployment plan for the new police officers.
Prime Minister Olmert praised the boost given to the Israel Police: "There is no other police force in the world which has so many duties such as the Israel Police. The police work is done quietly and modestly, and is very much felt and appreciated in the streets of Israel. The Minister of Public Security was very persistent on this move and the Minister of Finance was convinced that this reinforcement is required. The goal is that these police officers will come in contact with our citizens and will reinforce their sense of security".
Minister Dicter spoke at the Cabinet meeting and said that the 1000 police officers will be posted in field positions such as patrol and detection and will directly contribute to the safety of Israel's people. Minister Dicter elaborated on the primary strategic steps being promoted by the Ministry and the police during 2008, such as reinforcing the local police stations, posting the new police officers, the creation of the National Crime Unit as well as other new units which have already started working and showing results, such as the seizing of a 26 kilo shipment of heroin being smuggled over the border.
"I am happy that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance granted my request for a significant personnel reinforcement to the Israel Police" said the Minister. "Yet, this is still not enough. I intend on continuing strengthening the Israel Police and the sense of security of every person in the State of Israel. I call from here to the Israeli Government to discuss my proposal to grant national preference to the Ministry of Public Security, the Israel Police and the battle against crime, all as a national objective for the 2009 work plan".
During the Cabinet meeting, Inspector General Cohen surveyed the crime situation in Israel over the past year and over the past 60 years of Israel's existence, as well as presenting the new National Crime Unit, Lahav 433, and the two new units, Magen and Yagel, which were created to battle the drug smuggling over the Lebanese, Egyptian and Jordanian borders.
The Commissioner focused on three main subjects within the police's implementation of the Minister's policy: The effective battle against crime, the reinforcement of local police stations and the battle against road accidents. The Commissioner added that 20 local stations will be reinforced with the new police officers, strategically chosen in order to have the maximal impact on crime.
Prime Minister Olmert concluded the Cabinet meeting by congratulating the work of the Israel Police and their contribution to the country's safety.