The suspect was brought to the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for a remand hearing.
By ELIYAHU KAMISHERPolice tape.(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Police Investigations Department arrested a 45-year-old police officer on Wednesday on suspicion of sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl.According to the PID, the officer, a resident of central Israel, is suspected of assaulting a daughter of an acquaintance. Ynet reported that the officer was investigated five years ago on suspicions of indecent assault against two minors and for alleged child pornography found on his computer, but was not charged in the investigations.The suspect was brought to the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for a remand hearing.His attorney, Kobi Palomo, told The Jerusalem Post the suspect denied the allegations.“This is a suspicion in a serious and exceptional case and the Israel Police will assist the Police Investigations Department in any way in order to arrive at the truth,” the police said in a statement. “The police will act according to the law and take all administrative measures against suspects in these acts.”In a separate statement, police said that after receiving the investigative material from the PID they are considering firing the officer while he undergoes a criminal investigation.The allegations follow the arrest earlier this month of a substitute teacher, Shaul Shamai, 49, on suspicion of indecently touching a “significant number” of second-grade girls at a northern Tel Aviv school and making sexually explicit comments.The incident sparked outrage because a month before his arrest Shamai had been convicted of indecent assault on a 12-year-old girl. However, in January, before his conviction, he secured police approval to teach because it only is prohibited for those convicted of sexual offenses and he continued working as a substitute teacher.