Israel National Police — Code of Ethics

The Israel Police acts to enforce the law, to prevent crime, to strengthen the civil norm of abiding by the law, to protect lives and property, and to maintain public order, while respecting individuals and their rights. Service in the Israel Police is based upon recognition of its national mission and identification both with the values of the Israel Police and with the spirit of the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel. The Code of Ethics of the Israel Police serves as a moral and ethical compass which guides its officers in all circumstances.

Summary of Values

Mission Values

Protecting Human Life, Welfare and Property | Upholding and Enforcing the Law | Safeguarding Human Dignity

Attitude Values 

Responsibility and Personal Example | Integrity and Incorruptibility | Representation | Service

Performance Values 

Professionalism|  Determination and Dedication to the Mission | Restraint and Proportionality | Comradeship

Mission Values

Protecting Human Life, Welfare and Property

We, the officers, will act with professionalism, determination, wisdom and courage to protect the lives, welfare and property of every person in Israel, at all times and in all places.

Principle 1: We will protect human life, welfare and property from danger. 

Principle 2: We will perform our duties in any way necessary, within the framework of law, ethics and professionalism.

Upholding and Enforcing the Law

We, the officers, will act to enforce the law within the framework of our position and authority, to prevent crime, and to strengthen law-abiding norms while conducting ourselves in an exemplary manner as role models for upholding the law.

Principle 1: We will plan and carry out all our activities in a manner that strengthens the rule of law. 

Principle 2: In everything that we do, and in all circumstances, we will uphold the law in an exemplary manner, without the appearance of inappropriate conduct.

Safeguarding Human Dignity

We, the officers, will respect all people as individuals who are entitled to conduct their lives as they wish, according to their world view, within the boundaries of the law, and we will do so with equality, fairness and tolerance.

Principle 1: We will respect the freedom of all people to conduct their lives according to their preferences, within the boundaries of the law, and we will protect this freedom against any unlawful damage. 

Principle 2: We will do our utmost not to infringe on the right of people to run their lives as they wish, and will only restrict an individual for an appropriate purpose and to a necessary degree, according to the law and professional considerations.

Attitude Values

Responsibility and Personal Example

At all times, we, the officers, will act to complete the mission of the Israel Police and will do our best to successfully fulfill our duties and carry out our missions. We will behave in an exemplary manner to our colleagues and to the general public at all times, and in all places.

Principle 1: We will be guided by the understanding that fulfilling the mission of the Israel Police rests upon our shoulders with respect to our own duties and our own missions. 

Principle 2: We will offer a personal example in our daily conduct, based on the understanding that both our professional and personal conduct serve as a model to colleagues, subordinates and civilians and must therefore remain appropriate.

Integrity and Incorruptibility

We, the officers, will be stringent about trustworthiness, incorruptibility and integrity and treat others as we would wish to be treated under similar circumstances. We will conduct ourselves in a manner which offers a clear example of maintaining honesty, integrity and incorruptibility.

Principle 1: We will act in a trustworthy manner which maintains congruence between truth and its presentation, between intention and its fulfillment and between a goal and its accomplishment, under all circumstances. 

Principle 2: We will carry out our duties with integrity, solely based on the values, principles, rules and guidelines of the Israel Police. Considering the public good, honesty, and integrity, we will safeguard our incorruptibility and rectitude under all circumstances.

Representation

We, the officers, will serve the common good of the citizens of Israel and its visitors, and we will do so as representatives of the Israel Police and of the State of Israel in all our actions.

Principle 1: Under all circumstances, we will act in order to uphold the law in a neutral, professional, practical, equal, tolerant, fair and representative manner, using means and methods as permitted by law. 

Principle 2: We will carry out any mission on behalf of the Israel Police according to its values and principles – recognizing it also as a mission on behalf of the State of Israel and subject to its laws.

Service

We, the officers, will act as public servants in defense of the freedom of each and every citizen and individual. We will do our utmost to increase security in general, and also an individual sense of personal security, as well as public trust in the Israel Police.

Principle 1: We will defend every person’s inherent freedom to maintain a lifestyle that is congruent with their worldview, in accordance with the law. 

Principle 2: We will act in order to solve problems in a professional and effective manner, to foster a sense of individual security and of trust toward the Israel Police.

Performance Values

Professionalism

We, the officers, will act professionally, based on up-to-date knowledge, advanced skills, jointness, and an understanding of the organization’s mission and goals, and will strive for excellence in our duties.

Principle 1: We will continually develop our knowledge, skills and professional understanding, thus expanding our range of professional possibilities.

Principle 2: We will be stringent about personal discipline and identification with the police organization, perceiving the ethics of the Israel Police to be part of our professional identity as officers and acting accordingly in all circumstances.

Determination and Dedication to the Mission

We, the officers, will perform our duties at any time, and in any place, while exhibiting determination and dedication, and acting with good judgement, courage and devotion, willing to take any necessary risks required to complete the mission.

Principle 1: We will act responsibly, using good judgement, and with preparation, decisiveness, wisdom and professionalism, taking into account reasonableness and proportionality. 

Principle 2: We will risk our lives, or order our subordinates to do so, only when faced with the mission or with the goal of saving a human life.

Restraint and Proportionality

We, the officers, will operate as professional specialists to achieve a justified, proportional use of power, subject to the authorities granted to us by law and the means provided to us by the Israel Police, in order to fulfill our mission, carry out our duties, and perform our assignments.

Principle 1: We will act with good judgement, using necessary force and appropriate restraint to solve any given problem, and using all the power, authority and means at our disposal with regard to any individual, civilian, colleague or subordinate, in a strictly justified and proportionate manner. 

Principle 2: We will use force, authority or other means at our disposal only when on duty, in order to carry out our work and our assignments, and only when necessary and while exercising good judgement, moderation and restraint.

Comradeship

We, the officers, will work as part of a team, demonstrating special loyalty towards our colleagues in order to complete our mission, no matter what the assignment or challenge, be it routine or emergency, while willing to risk our lives, in accordance with the law and according to the ethics of the Israel Police.

Principle 1: We will demonstrate a unique kind of loyalty towards our colleagues, involving comradeship, devotion, assistance, mutual responsibility and partnership, as needed in order for our colleagues to carry out their assignments, providing the cohesion which gives each police officer a sense of personal security while on duty. 

Principle 2: We will do our best to help colleagues who are having difficulties at work, offering assistance to overcome or avoid the problem, and doing so in a professional manner in accordance with the law and ethical considerations. If necessary, we will also involve the commanding officer.