TV series on police brutality is distorted, cops contend

Statement defendeds media’s right to criticize police, criticizes “attempt by media elements to present a phenomenon of police violence.”

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
311_AlArakib border police (photo credit: Courtesy)
311_AlArakib border police
(photo credit: Courtesy)
The Israel Police criticized a week-long series of documentaries by Channel 10 on police brutality on Thursday, saying the programs were distorted and overblowing the scope of the problem.
“Twenty-seven thousand officers and thousands more volunteers serve in police ranks around the clock, and face a wide range of incidents and conflict situations,” the statement said.
“There are some incidents in which officers use illegal force and stray from the organizational norms and guidelines.
These incidents are examined by the Police Investigation Department (PID) and professionals in the force,” the statement continued.
“In statistical terms, it is difficult to discuss images showing violence, but these incidents are isolated cases. Out of the 27,000 officers who serve on the force, the PID prosecuted 109 cases in 2009 – and out of those, 54 were brought to criminal trial. That is a 20 percent drop compared to 2008,” police said.
“This is less than half of one percent of all police officers” the statement stressed, and “this figure speaks for itself.”
Addressing the documentaries, police added that all of the incidents shown in the programs have been investigated by the PID, and three were closed due to lack of evidence. In one case, an officer was prosecuted for criminal offenses.
The statement defended the media’s right to criticize the police, but criticized what it described as an “attempt by certain media elements to present a phenomenon of police violence,” describing the documentaries as “unacceptable and slanted.”