Jerusalem--Israel's attorney general on Tuesday urged the public not to lose faith in the country's police despite sex and corruption scandals reaching as high as the deputy national commissioner.
"The police find themselves in the eye of the public storm," a justice ministry statement quoted Yehuda Weinstein as saying.
"We must not underestimate the dangers of an unbridled attack on the entire organisation," he said. "We should not throw the baby out with the bathwater."
In remarks broadcast on public radio, state prosecutor Shai Nitzan called on policewomen and civilian employees who had suffered harassment to come forward.
"I want to send a message to every policewoman and woman working for the Israel police: If you have been harassed it's important to complain," he said.
"There is a determination to battle (this) and clean up the ranks."
Deputy Commissioner Nissim Mor is the latest of five police officers with the rank of major-general to be investigated by internal affairs in the past 18 months, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.
"He was questioned yesterday for the second day in a row," Rosenfeld told AFP.
"As far as I'm aware in terms of the allegations it's misconduct... with a number of different female officers serving in the police," he said. "The incidents are sexually-related."
Mor was expected to submit his resignation on Tuesday, according to Israeli media.
Last week Kobi Cohen, the head of Israeli police in the occupied West Bank, quit over allegations he had improper relations with a policewoman under his command.
AFP
