Police recruit ahead of disengagement
76 rookies attending police training course; some 300 Civil Guard volunteers set to reinforce southern district police units during disengagement
Southern district police have recruited 76 additional police officers and some 300 Civil Guard volunteers to reinforce southern region police stations during the expected disengagement, police sources said Tuesday.
The rookies are currently attending a course at the Police Officer’s School in Shfar’am and are scheduled to join the district’s units toward the end of July.
“These officers are undergoing all the necessary training. Under the circumstances, this is a lot of manpower,” a police statement said, in response to claims that the number of new recruits is insufficient.
Some 300 Civil Guard volunteers have been added to the 9,000 existing volunteers; they are expected to reinforce southern region police stations when police officers would be busy with pullout-related tasks.
A senior southern district police official told Ynet they would not be able to respond to every call (during the disengagement).
"It is possible that we will not be able to respond to certain types of crimes at all. However, I am certain the police’s services to the citizens will not be dramatically hindered as much as one may believe,” he said.
'Pullout tasks must be carried out'
Southern District Police Chief Uri Bar-Lev said recently police officers must demonstrate sensitivity to settlers who may refuse to evacuate their homes in the framework of the Gaza pullout.
"We are required to demonstrate firmness, but also sensitivity, in order to achieve the objectives faced by the police," he said during a southern district police officers’ conference at the time.
Southern district police would undoubtedly require added assistance during the disengaging, as it is feared the process will be accompanied by repeated road-blockings by anti-disengagement activist.
A week ago thousands of protesters managed to block several main road arteries throughout the country; security forces detained 300 of them.
Information kits have been distributed among police units in the framework of the public relations effort launched by Israel Police a few months ago
The kit includes words from Israel Police Chief Rabbi Yaakov Gross calling on officers to carry out their duties.
“Despite the difficulty and pain involved in the evacuation, the tasks must be carried out to preserve the unity of the security forces,” he said.
