Police Watchdog Seeks to Retain Haifa Commander's Phone Despite Dropped Sex Offense Probe

Israel's Police Internal Investigations Department (Mahash) has filed an unusual request with the court to keep the mobile phone of the Haifa Police Station commander in its possession, despite recently closing a criminal investigation against him. The investigation, which began earlier this year, involved alleged sexual offenses against a subordinate officer and in another incident. Mahash had announced the closure of the criminal probe about a month ago, stating that the alleged conduct did not cross the criminal threshold, though a recommendation was made for disciplinary action.

The commander, Lieutenant Colonel Eyal Shahar, and his lawyer are opposing Mahash's request. His attorney argued in court that the warrants to access his mobile device were obtained unlawfully and that retaining the phone constitutes a severe and ongoing violation of his privacy, as it contains highly sensitive personal information. The defense is seeking to understand the circumstances under which the access warrants were issued.

Mahash responded that the court had issued the warrant based on evidence presented by investigators. The department added that the data extracted from the phone could be necessary for any potential disciplinary proceedings initiated by the police. Mahash also stated that Lt. Col. Shahar was offered the option to retrieve his device under specific conditions, which he refused, and these conditions were presented to the court.