AG, police commissioner and MK clash over police polygraph bill
After approving a previous version of a bill having all police officers up for the rank of maj. gen. or higher undergo polygraph test, AG Mandelblit comes out against MK Amsalem, whose rewritten version would have all 1,600 investigating officers undergo it; Police Commissioner Alsheikh and Public Security Min. Erdan, who promoted original bill, have also rejected Amsalem's version.
A new "polygraph bill" has raised a great deal of opposition in the Knesset and Israel Police, with an police commissioner, public security minister, attorney general and an MK warring over which version of the bill will win out.
Initially, the polygraph bill was introduced by Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh, who together with Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud),) has been promoting it in an effort to require anyone promoted within the police to the rank of major general or higher to be tested by a lie detector. This version was addtionally approved by Attorney General Michael Mandelblit.
Before Alsheikh was appointed police commissioner, polygraph tests were very rarely performed on police officers, and only in cases where field security violations were suspected (such as contact with a foreign agent or leaking of classified information).
But Alsheikh, who is the former Shin Bet deputy director, is leading a new procedure whereby any senior officer in the rank of chief superintendent or higher needs to undergo an inquiry.
At present, an officer who does not pass the inquiry will be instructed to undergo a polygraph test that will include questions on sexual misconduct, inappropriate romantic relations with either a superior or subordinate and potential connections to a crime organization.
After being approved during the first round of voting, however, the bill was rewrittern by MK and chairman of the Internal Affairs and Environment Knesset Committee David Amsalem, so that is would now require all police investigators to undergo a polygraph test, the sum tota of whom is around 1,600 officers.
In response to Amsalem's changes, Mandelblit issued a letter to Commissioner Alsheikh, Minister Erdan and Justice Minister Shaked, severely criticizing the bill's revised format.
Mandelblit wrote that while he found it acceptable to have investigators undergo a polygraph test once every three years, to preserve the integrity of the Israel Police, the new version of the bill "significantly deviates from the version I had approved at the time.
Maldelblit added that due to this development, the bill should be brought for new deliberation in the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee.
"I would also like to point out that the police commissioner approached me and noted that the (Israel—ed) Police's position is currently that it is better not to advance the bill at all, than to promote the version proposed by Amsalem. "
Mandelblit ended by noting that if the committees intends on passing the new version of the bill, he will have to reexamine it as it is altogether different than what was approved by him and his committee.
Amsalem, for his part, defended the changes he made. "If everything's fine, what's there to worry about?" he said. "If I was the commissioner, I would promote this, because its purpose is to safeguard the force.
"They spend hundreds of thousands of shekels on publicity advisors, they have a whole system for public relations," said Amsalem. "So I think this law will strengthen the image and dependability of the police in the best possible way."
Members of the police force, however, have voiced strong disapproval of Amsalem's move. "You can't cast doubt on every officer in the force," said several sources in the police. "A polygraph test is a very aggressive tool. You 'undress' in front of the tester, and there's no reason for every investigator to go through it. The fact that we don't have a workers' union doesn't mean that you can impede on the officers' rights in this manner."
Even though sources in the police preferred not to make any official comments, many showed resentment over accusations that officers in the force are leaking information to the press, which was mentioned as one of the reasons for Amsalem's sweeping legislature.
Officers hope that Erdan will aid them in finding a compromise between the police officers' general reluctance and Amsalem's demands.
However, members of the police warned that if a compromise will not be made and Amsalem refuses to negotiate, they will ask that the the polygraph bill by rejected.
"It is very important that the bill pass and allow the commissioner another necessary tool, in an effort to strengthen the public's trust in the police," said Erdan on Sunday, referring to the original version. "We need to reach a logical compromise that will diminish the risk of leaks from investigations but also not burden the entire force and create a feeling of suspicion towards its officers," he added.
(Translated & edited by Lior Mor)
