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Police Law, 5766-2006

חוק המשטרה, תשס"ו-2006

Published: 2006-01-01Last amended 2026-06-15✓ Amendment status checked against the Knesset legislation record on 2026-09-29
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Unofficial English translation — for reference only. It may contain errors or omissions and cannot be relied on as a legal text. Only the Hebrew text published in Reshumot is legally binding.More

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Section B: Single Adjudicator

Rank of Single Adjudicator§
32.
(a)The rank of a single adjudicator shall be at least two ranks higher than the rank of the defendant; however, the Inspector General may adjudicate a defendant even if the rank of the defendant is only one rank lower than the rank of the Inspector General.
(b)Where the defendant is a police officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent and above, the single adjudicator shall be a senior adjudication officer only.
Verdict§
33.
(a)At the conclusion of the proceedings, a single adjudicator shall decide, for reasons to be recorded, on the acquittal of the defendant or, if found guilty, on conviction.
(b)Where a single adjudicator has convicted the defendant, the single adjudicator shall sentence the defendant, provided that the defendant has been given an opportunity to present arguments as to sentence, including the calling of witnesses.
Obligation to Summon a Victim§
34.
(a)A single adjudicator hearing a disciplinary offence shall not acquit the defendant unless the single adjudicator has given a person directly harmed by the act that is the subject of the offence an opportunity to give testimony before the single adjudicator.
(b)Where a defendant has been acquitted without the victim having been given an opportunity to give testimony as referred to in subsection (a), the verdict shall be void ab initio, and in this regard the provisions of section 10 shall not apply.
Conviction of a Disciplinary Offence on the Basis of Facts Not Pleaded in the Complaint§
35.

A single adjudicator may convict a defendant of a disciplinary offence the guilt for which has been revealed from the facts proven before the single adjudicator, even if those facts were not pleaded in the complaint, provided that the defendant has been given a reasonable opportunity to present a defence.

Conviction of Several Disciplinary Offences§
36.

A single adjudicator may convict a defendant of each of the disciplinary offences the guilt for which has been revealed from the facts proven before the single adjudicator, but shall not punish the defendant more than once in respect of the same act.

Punishing Powers of a Single Adjudicator§
37.

A single adjudicator who has convicted a defendant of a disciplinary offence shall impose on the defendant the following punishments, all or some of them:

(1)Where the single adjudicator is an adjudication officer –
(a)reprimand;
(b)severe reprimand;
(c)a fine not exceeding the pay of five days as determined in Israel Police orders, however:
(1)in respect of a defendant who is a military serviceperson on regular service – a fine not exceeding one sixth of the monthly basic pay of a military serviceperson on regular service at the time of imposition of the punishment;
(2)in respect of a defendant who is a military serviceperson on reserve service – a fine not exceeding the monthly basic pay of a military serviceperson on regular service at the time of imposition of the punishment;
(2a)in respect of a defendant who is a person serving in civilian-security service – a fine not exceeding one sixth of the individual subsistence allowance of a person serving in civilian-security service;
(3)in respect of a defendant who has ceased to be a police officer and who is not a military serviceperson on regular service, a military serviceperson on reserve service or a person serving in civilian-security service – a fine not exceeding one sixth of the minimum wage, as defined in the Minimum Wage Law, 5747-1987 (in this Law – minimum wage);
(d)confinement to the place of service for a period not exceeding five days, provided that confinement shall not be imposed on a person who has ceased to be a police officer;
(e)in a disciplinary offence connected with driving a vehicle of the Israel Police – disqualification of a driving licence on behalf of the Israel Police for a period not exceeding 30 days;
(f)in respect of a defendant who is a military serviceperson on regular service – detention for a period not exceeding seven days;
(2)Where the single adjudicator is a senior adjudication officer –
(a)reprimand;
(b)severe reprimand;
(c)a fine not exceeding the pay of ten days as determined in Israel Police orders, however –
(1)in respect of a defendant who is a military serviceperson on regular service – a fine not exceeding one third of the monthly basic pay of a military serviceperson on regular service at the time of imposition of the punishment;
(2)in respect of a defendant who is a military serviceperson on reserve service – a fine not exceeding double the monthly basic pay of a military serviceperson on regular service at the time of imposition of the punishment;
(2a)in respect of a defendant who is a person serving in civilian-security service – a fine not exceeding one third of the individual subsistence allowance of a person serving in civilian-security service;
(3)in respect of a defendant who has ceased to be a police officer and who is not a military serviceperson on regular service, a military serviceperson on reserve service or a person serving in civilian-security service – a fine not exceeding one third of the minimum wage;
(d)confinement to the place of service for a period not exceeding ten days, provided that confinement shall not be imposed on a person who has ceased to be a police officer;
(e)in a disciplinary offence connected with driving a vehicle of the Israel Police – disqualification of a driving licence on behalf of the Israel Police for a period not exceeding 60 days;
(f)in respect of a defendant who is a military serviceperson on regular service – detention for a period not exceeding 35 days.
Deferral of Execution of Punishment§
38.

A single adjudicator may, for special reasons to be recorded, defer the execution of a punishment or set conditions for its execution at the time of giving the verdict, and if an appeal has been lodged – also after giving the verdict and for as long as the hearing of the appeal has not commenced; once the hearing of the appeal has commenced, the said authority shall vest in the person hearing the appeal.

Appeal against a ruling§
39.
(a)
(1)A police officer who has been convicted by a single adjudicator may, within 15 days from the day on which the ruling was served on him, submit an appeal against the ruling, and if he was ordered to pay compensation pursuant to the provisions of section 70 – also against the said order, in the manner prescribed by the Minister;
(2)If a police officer was acquitted by a single adjudicator in disciplinary proceedings initiated as a result of an investigation by the Police Internal Investigations Department, an examining committee, an examining officer, or a public complaints officer appointed pursuant to the Israel Police Ordinance, the Head of the Human Resources Division of the Police or a person authorised by him therefor may submit an appeal against the ruling, if he considered that there is sufficient evidence to prove the guilt of the police officer, within 15 days from the day on which the ruling was served on him.
(b)An appeal shall be heard by a senior adjudication officer whose rank is not lower than that of the single adjudicator who gave the ruling and who has been appointed therefor in the manner prescribed by the Minister.
(c)A senior adjudication officer who has been appointed to hear an appeal may hear it even if it was submitted after the date referred to in subsection (a), if it has been proved, to his satisfaction, that there was reasonable justification for the delay.
(d)The appellant may withdraw his appeal so long as a decision has not been given on the appeal.
(e)The provisions of section 28 shall apply, with the necessary modifications, also in respect of the person hearing the appeal.
Finality of a ruling by an Inspector General or a judge§
40.

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 39(a), a ruling of the Inspector General sitting as a single adjudicator, or a ruling of an Inspector General (Special Duties) or a judge who has retired and to whom the proceedings were transferred pursuant to the provisions of section 28(c)(2), is a final ruling within its meaning in section 40a.

Final ruling§
40a.

A final ruling is one of the following:

(1)a ruling against which no appeal may be submitted as referred to in section 40;
(2)a ruling in respect of which the period for submitting an appeal has expired and no appeal has been submitted;
(3)a ruling given on appeal.
Powers of a senior adjudication officer hearing an appeal§
41.
(a)A senior adjudication officer hearing an appeal may –
(1)allow the appeal and acquit the accused, or convict the accused and sentence him, as the case may be;
(2)reduce the punishment;
(3)dismiss the appeal;
(4)convict of a different disciplinary offence, provided that the accused was given a reasonable opportunity to defend himself.
(b)If the appeal is against an order to pay compensation pursuant to section 70, the senior adjudication officer hearing the appeal may cancel the order to pay or reduce the amount of the compensation.

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Section C: Disciplinary Tribunal

Establishment of a disciplinary tribunal§
42.

The Inspector General shall establish, by Order, a disciplinary tribunal that shall try police officers for disciplinary offences, and shall determine its seat.

Appointment of the president of the tribunal§
43.

The president of the disciplinary tribunal shall be a lawyer who is a senior police officer, whose rank shall be determined by Israel Police orders.

Appointment of a panel of the tribunal§
44.
(a)A panel of a disciplinary tribunal shall be composed of three judges, to be appointed by the president of the tribunal, who are senior police officers, at least two of whom are lawyers; the judges shall be appointed from a list of judges determined by the Inspector General.
(b)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) and section 45, a panel of a disciplinary tribunal hearing a disciplinary offence of a police officer under items 8, 19(a) or 27 of the First Schedule, committed against a person who is not a police officer, shall be composed of three judges, to be appointed by the president of the disciplinary tribunal, as set out below:
(1)two senior police officers, from the list of judges referred to in subsection (a), at least one of whom is a lawyer;
(2)a public representative, from a list of public representatives who are qualified to be appointed as judges of a Magistrate's Court, determined by the Minister with the consent of the Minister of Justice.
(c)If the president of the disciplinary tribunal considered that there are grounds to appoint a public representative in additional disciplinary offences not enumerated in subsection (b), which were committed against a person who is not a police officer, the composition of the panel of the tribunal shall be in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b).
(d)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b)(1), the president of the disciplinary tribunal may, in special circumstances, appoint to the panel of the tribunal, from a list determined by the Inspector General, a retired judge or a retired senior police officer who is a lawyer.
Disciplinary tribunal with a single judge§
45.

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 44(a), a disciplinary tribunal shall sit with a single judge if the president of the tribunal or a person authorised by him therefor so directs; such a judge shall be a senior police officer who is a lawyer, to be appointed by the president of the disciplinary tribunal from the list of judges referred to in section 44(a).

Extension of jurisdiction§
46.

A panel of a disciplinary tribunal appointed pursuant to the provisions of section 44(b) is competent to hear additional disciplinary offences beyond those enumerated in that section, provided that they are included in the same indictment.

Verdict§
47.

At the conclusion of the examination of the charge, the disciplinary tribunal shall decide, for reasons that shall be recorded, on the acquittal of the accused, or, if it found him guilty, on his conviction (in this Chapter – the verdict).

Conviction of an offence on the basis of facts not alleged in the indictment§
48.

A disciplinary tribunal may convict an accused of an offence whose guilt was revealed from the facts proved before it, even if those facts were not alleged in the indictment, provided that the accused was given a reasonable opportunity to defend himself.

Conviction of several offences§
49.

The disciplinary tribunal may convict an accused of each of the offences whose guilt was revealed from the facts proved before it, but shall not punish him more than once in respect of the same act.

Evidence in respect of punishment§
50.

Where an accused has been convicted of an offence, the prosecutor and the accused may adduce their evidence in respect of punishment, including evidence concerning the previous convictions of the accused.

Punitive powers of a disciplinary tribunal§
51.
(a)Where an accused has been convicted of an offence, the disciplinary tribunal shall sentence him and impose upon him the following punishments, all or some of them –
(1)a reprimand;
(2)a severe reprimand;
(3)a fine not exceeding double the fine that a single adjudicator who is a senior adjudication officer is competent to impose pursuant to section 37(2)(c), as the case may be;
(4)confinement to the place of service for a period not exceeding 45 days;
(5)detention for a period not exceeding 45 days;
(6)demotion in rank;
(7)for an offence involving driving a vehicle belonging to the Israel Police – disqualification of a driving licence issued by the Israel Police for a period not exceeding 90 days.
(b)A punishment of confinement or detention shall not be imposed pursuant to this section on a person who has ceased to be a police officer, and a punishment of detention shall not be imposed pursuant to this section on a person serving in civilian-security service.
(c)Demotion in rank pursuant to this section shall be for a period to be determined by Israel Police orders; however, the disciplinary tribunal may determine a different period for reasons that shall be recorded.
Postponement of execution of punishment§
52.
(a)At the time of pronouncement of the sentence, the disciplinary tribunal may, and after pronouncement of the sentence the president of the tribunal that pronounced the sentence may, at the request of an accused and for reasons that shall be recorded, postpone the execution of the punishment or set conditions for its execution, all until the submission of an appeal or until the date on which the period for submitting an appeal has elapsed.
(b)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), if an appeal has been submitted against the judgment, the accused shall submit his request for postponement of the execution of the punishment or for the setting of conditions for its execution to the president of the appeals tribunal, who shall be vested with the power referred to in this section.
Tribunal in which opinions are divided§
53.

In a tribunal in which opinions are divided, the majority view shall prevail; if there is no majority view on the type or measure of punishment, the view of the president of the tribunal shall prevail.

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Section D: Appeals Tribunal

Establishment of an appeals tribunal§
54.

The Minister shall establish, by Order, an appeals tribunal that shall hear appeals against judgments of a disciplinary tribunal, and shall determine its seat.

Appointment of the president of the appeals tribunal§
55.
(a)The president of the appeals tribunal shall be a lawyer who is a senior police officer, whose rank shall be determined by Israel Police orders.
(b)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), the Minister may, in special circumstances and at the request of the Inspector General, appoint as president of the appeals tribunal a retired judge or a retired senior police officer who is a lawyer, of the rank referred to in subsection (a).
Appointment of a panel of the appeals tribunal§
56.
(a)A panel of the appeals tribunal shall be composed of three judges, to be appointed by the president of the tribunal, who are senior police officers, at least two of whom are lawyers; the judges shall be appointed from a list of judges determined by the Inspector General.
(b)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), a panel of the appeals tribunal hearing an appeal against a judgment of the disciplinary tribunal in the matter of a disciplinary offence of a police officer under items 8, 19(a) or 27 of the First Schedule, committed against a person who is not a police officer, or in the matter of another disciplinary offence of a police officer committed against a person who is not a police officer, heard pursuant to section 44(c), shall be composed of three judges, to be appointed by the president of the appeals tribunal, as set out below:
(1)two senior police officers, from the list of judges referred to in subsection (a), at least one of whom is a lawyer;
(2)a public representative, from a list of public representatives who are qualified to be appointed as judges of a District Court, determined by the Minister with the consent of the Minister of Justice.
(c)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b)(1), the president of the appeals tribunal may, in special circumstances, appoint to the panel of the appeals tribunal, from a list determined by the Inspector General, a retired judge or a retired senior police officer who is a lawyer.
Right of appeal§
57.
(a)An accused who has been convicted by a disciplinary tribunal, as well as the Inspector General or a person authorised by him therefor, may, within 45 days from the day of pronouncement of the judgment, appeal against the verdict, against the sentence, or against the judgment in its entirety, and they may do so even if the accused has ceased to be a police officer.
(b)If the judgment was given other than in the presence of the accused or the prosecutor, the counting of the period for submitting the appeal referred to in subsection (a) shall commence from the day on which the judgment was served on him, in the manner to be determined by Israel Police orders.
Filing a Notice of Appeal§
58.

An appeal shall be by filing a notice of appeal with the appeals tribunal, signed by the appellant or his representative, in the manner prescribed by the Minister.

Withdrawal of Appeal§
59.

An appellant may withdraw his appeal at any stage of the appeal proceedings; however, once the parties have concluded their submissions, he may not withdraw except with the leave of the appeals tribunal.

Hearing of Appeal in the Presence of the Parties§
60.
(a)The hearing of the appeal shall take place in the presence of the parties; however, if a party was summoned and failed to appear, the appeals tribunal may hear the appeal in his absence, and if the appellant failed to appear – the tribunal may dismiss the appeal on that ground alone.
(b)Where a defendant's appeal has been dismissed by reason of his failure to appear, the appeals tribunal shall set aside the decision to dismiss the appeal upon the application of the appellant, and shall hear the appeal, if it is satisfied that there was a justified reason for the appellant's failure to appear, or if it considers that it is necessary to do so in order to prevent a miscarriage of justice; an application under this subsection shall be submitted within 15 days of the date on which the dismissal decision was notified to the appellant, however the appeals tribunal may, for special reasons to be recorded, hear such an application even if it was submitted after the expiry of the said period.
Jurisdiction of the Appeals Tribunal§
61.

The appeals tribunal may do one of the following:

(1)allow the appeal, in whole or in part, vary the judgment of the disciplinary tribunal, or set it aside and substitute another in its place;
(2)dismiss the appeal;
(3)make, in connection with the judgment, any other decision that the disciplinary tribunal was empowered to make, including to convict a defendant of a disciplinary offence of which his guilt is disclosed from the facts proved, even if the offence differs from that of which he was convicted in the disciplinary tribunal, or if the facts proved were not pleaded therein, provided that the defendant was given a reasonable opportunity to present his defence; however, the appeals tribunal shall not impose on the defendant a punishment more severe than that imposed on him, unless an appeal has been lodged against the leniency of the punishment;
(4)remit the proceedings to the disciplinary tribunal that gave the judgment, with directions.
Jurisdiction of the President of the Appeals Tribunal§
62.

The President of the appeals tribunal shall have the jurisdiction to hear any procedural matter vested in the appeals tribunal under this Chapter, as well as the jurisdiction to take any action that the tribunal is required to take, including –

(1)extending time limits for filing an appeal after the period for filing has elapsed as referred to in section 57, if he considers it appropriate to do so in the circumstances of the matter;
(2)deferring the execution of a punishment, suspending it, or setting conditions for its execution.
63.§

(Repealed — תשע״ו־2)

Appeal to the District Court§
63a.
(a)A judgment of an appeals tribunal may be appealed before a judge of the District Court within whose territorial jurisdiction the seat of the appeals tribunal is situated (in this Section – the District Court) sitting as a single judge, if leave therefor has been granted in the judgment or by the President of the District Court or his deputy.
(b)Leave to appeal shall not be granted except on a legal question that is of importance, difficulty or novelty.
(c)The period for filing an application for leave to appeal is thirty days from the date of the giving of the judgment on appeal, and the period for filing the appeal is thirty days from the date of the granting of leave to appeal.
(d)The rules of procedure applicable to criminal appeals in the District Court shall apply to proceedings under this section, except for the provisions of section 12 of the Criminal Procedure Law [Consolidated Version], 5742-1982, and with the necessary modifications.
(e)The person who granted leave to appeal may, in so doing, direct that the execution of the sentence be deferred; where an application for leave to appeal has been filed and leave has not yet been granted, the President of the District Court may so direct.
(f)Notwithstanding anything provided in any law, a prosecutor appearing before the District Court in an appeal under this section shall wear police uniform and a black gown.
Final Judgment§
63a1.
(a)A final judgment is a judgment in respect of which the period for filing an appeal has elapsed and no appeal has been filed, and if an appeal was filed – the judgment given on appeal.
(b)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), a judgment of the appeals tribunal shall become final in any of the following:
(1)upon the expiry of the period for filing an application for leave to appeal – if no such application was filed;
(2)where an application for leave to appeal was filed and dismissed – on the day it was dismissed;
(3)where leave to appeal was granted – upon the expiry of the period for filing the appeal if the appeal was not filed.
(c)So long as the judgment of the appeals tribunal is not final, the President of the appeals tribunal may direct that the execution of the sentence be deferred.

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