NCJ Number
53693
Date Published
1978
Length
54 pages
Annotation
THIS ISRAELI POLICE REPORT FOR 1977 REFLECTS CRIMINAL AND INTERNAL SECURITY EVENTS OF THE PAST AND SOME NEW ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES AND CONCEPTS.
Abstract
IN 1977 THE ISRAELI POLICE IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC CONCERN EXPRESSED BY TWO COMMISSIONS OF INQUIRY, THE BUCHNER COMMISSION AND THE SHIMRON COMMSSION, GAVE SPECIAL PRIORITIES TO DEALING WITH SOME GRAVE CRIME PROBLEMS. THE DEPARTMENT CONCENTRATED ON THE DETECTION OF DRUG DEALERS, ENLARGED SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE UNITS SUCH AS THE FRAUDS DIVISION, CONTINUED ACTIVATION OF THE BORDER GUARD, AND EXPANDED THEIR CRIMINAL IDENTIFICATION SERVICES. PRECEDING 44 TABLES OF STATISTICAL REPORTS AND AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHART OF THE ISRAEL POLICE, THERE IS A DESCRIPTIVE REPORT OF EACH ASPECT OF POLICE ACTIVITY WITH ITS VARIOUS SUBDIVISIONS. BECAUSE CRIME IS BECOMING MORE PROFESSIONALIZED AND BETTER-ORGANIZED, THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASING RESORT TO VIOLENCE, INCLUDING THE USE OF ARMS AND EXPLOSIVES. THERE IS ALSO A GROWTH OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LINKS, WITH THE GRAVEST EFFECTS EVIDENCED IN DRUG SMUGGLING. IN 1977, 344 CHARGES OF DRUG DEALING WERE FILED AS AGAINST 160 IN 1976--AN INCREASE OF 115 PERCENT. THERE WAS A DECREASE IN BANK ROBBERIES BECAUSE OF INCREASED POLICE PROTECTION OF BANKS, BUT AN INCREASE IN ROBBERY EFFORTS AGAINST DIAMOND-POLISHING WORKSHOPS AND OTHER BUSINESS PREMISES. TWO NEW COUNTRYWIDE UNITS WERE CREATED TO COMBAT SERIOUS CRIME: THE NATIONAL UNIT FOR FRAUD INVESTIGATION AND THE UNIT FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. OPERATIONAL UNITS WERE UNIFIED DOWN TO THE STATION LEVEL TO PERFORM INVESTIGATION, INTELLIGENCE, AND CRIMINAL IDENTIFICATION SERVICES. AS FOR INTERNAL SECURITY, THERE WERE 88 TERRORIST ACTS IN ISRAEL DURING 1977 COMPARED WITH 65 IN 1976--AN INCREASE OF 33 PERCENT. IN 1977, THE ISRAELI POLICE UNDERTOOK 125 LARGE-SCALE OPERATIONS, INCLUDING DEMONSTRATIONS, STRIKES, PUBLIC DISTURBANCES, AS WELL AS 'OPERATION SHA'AR' (THE VISIT OF THE EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT) AND THE OPERATION TO MAINTAIN ORDER AND SECURITY DURING THE ELECTIONS TO THE NINTH KNESSET. DURING 1977, 27,000 ADDITIONAL MOTOR VEHICLES AND 41,700 NEW DRIVERS WERE ADDED, THE EXPANSION OF ROAD NETWORK WAS INSIGNIFICANT, AND 640 PERSONS WERE KILLED ON THE ROADS AS AGAINST 608 THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THE REGULAR POLICE COMPLEMENT ROSE FROM 13,377 TO 14,123; THERE WERE 1,185 RESIGNATIONS. A NEW HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED IBM COMPUTER WAS ACQUIRED TO SECURE INFORMATION FOR OPERATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. OTHER ASPECTS OF POLICE ACTIVITY COVERED IN DETAIL INCLUDE INTERPOL, LABORATORY IDENTIFICATION OF CRIME, AND POLICE ACTIVITIES IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES. CRIME IN ISRAEL IS ALSO COMPARED WITH THAT IN OTHER COUNTIRES AND LOCALITIES. (FCW)