Police-Society Forum

Police & Society Forum Convenes at IDI to Discuss Issues Related to Law, Order and Enforcement Among Israeli Citizens

On May 29, the Israel Police and Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) met in a conference convened by Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh and IDI President Yohanan Plesner. The forum was attended by senior level police officers, researchers and other experts.

Forum participants analyzed norms of compliance with the rule of law and its enforcement among average Israeli citizens. In addition, they discussed various approaches to enforcement, based on population group and behaviors that law enforcement seeks to encourage or prevent.

The seminar was led by Dr. Tehila Shwartz Altshuler, Director of IDI's Center for Democratic Values and Institutions, and C. Supt. Lilach Laufman, Head of the Strategy Department at the Planning and Organization Division of Israel Police. At the forum, enforcement models that are thought to lead toward better compliance with the law were presented.

In addition, forum participants discussed the differences required in police treatment of first time versus perpetual offenders, and explored ways to interrupt the cycle of delinquency.

Police officers were divided into four groups to discuss the issues. The results of this exercise will be used in the forum's follow up work.

Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh: "The Public Trust Program, which focuses on average Israelis, is the central component for providing optimal service to Israeli citizens. Preventing crime by raising society's standards of obedience to the law, on the one hand, and increasing enforcement and focusing police efforts on ‘professional' criminals, on the other hand, are the key challenges facing the Israel Police in the coming years. This discourse with academia is very important, as it serves as a public affirmation of support in the conceptual revolution that we are leading in the police force. The topics on the table that we decided were most promising will become part of the Israel Police's standard operating procedure."