Israel's police chief sidelining democratic values
The Israel Police under the leadership of Chief Roni Alsheich seems to be losing its guiding principles, instead protecting police officers from citizens rather than protecting the citizens and the values of democracy.
"We are here to serve. Our role is to serve the normal, law-abiding citizens and to provide them with the best possible personal security while waging a determined and uncompromising war against those people who choose to define themselves as criminals." That was just one moving statement made by Israel's Commissioner of Police Roni Alsheich when he was sworn in to his new position in December 2015.
Ostensibly, Alsheich's comments expressed a deep understanding of the role police play in a democratic society. Yet since then, Alsheich has actually proved that he has a very worrisome lack of understanding concerning the sanctity of human rights within a democracy. It seems as if Alsheich, who rose through the ranks of the Shin Bet, climbing as far as deputy director of that clandestine organization, has not fully internalized his role in a civil society and continues to act as if he is still operating in the shadow world.
On June 21, Alsheich provided two disturbing headlines regarding his approach to civil rights in Israel.
The first headline told how the police commissioner appointed a committee to assess granting legal aid to police officers who want to sue civilians. It turns out that Alsheich is very disturbed by several instances of concerned citizens' public shaming of policemen on the internet and is working to put an end to the phenomenon, not only through criminal prosecution, but also by allowing police officers to file civil suits against civilians, with legal aid provided to them by the Israel Police itself. The committee was also tasked with determining whether to create a police defenders' office to assist police officers who are being sued.
