As part of the steps to establish the Department of Internal Police Investigations (DIPI) as an independent body, Attorney Avi Amiram was appointed in late June to the search committee tasked with selecting the department’s next director.
Adv. Amiram, one of Israel’s leading criminal defense attorneys, who works in close professional partnership with Adv. Eli Golschmidt, a former Labor Party MK, recently represented the commander of “Force 100”, a suspect in the Sde Teiman affair.
The committee, to be chaired by Ministry of Justice Director-General Itamar Donenfeld, was officially announced following a public call for applications issued this week.
Alongside Attorney Amiram, who brings with him many years of legal experience in the criminal field and was appointed to the role by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, the committee will also include a retired judge (to be appointed by the Chairman of the State Control Committee, MK Alon Schuster), an investigations expert on the Civil Service Commission, and the Civil Service Commissioner himself.
The establishment of the DIPI in its new form is part of a significant reform aimed at ensuring the investigative body’s independence.
DIPI unit will be authorized to conduct investigations into police, Shin Bet personnel
Under the new structure, the unit will be authorized to conduct investigations and file indictments against police and Shin Bet personnel independently, without direct subordination to the State Attorney’s Office or the attorney- general.
The need for the change arose following repeated reports by the State Comptroller and the Public Defender’s Office, which highlighted deficiencies in the handling of police offenses under the old model.
The director, to be selected by the committee that includes attorney Amiram, will be required to hold qualifications equivalent to those of a judge and possess a rich professional background in investigations. The term of office will also last six years.
In addition to the department director, a special coordinator, at the rank of retired judge, will be appointed to adjudicate professional disputes between the DIPI and other law enforcement authorities, thereby completing the organizational structure of the new body, which aims to bolster public trust in the law enforcement system.