Central District Police Chief Amir Cohen Resigns After 38 Years

Commander of the Central District in the Israel Police, Superintendent Amir Cohen, announced his decision to resign after 38 years of service, informing Police Commissioner Dani Levy on Thursday. Cohen's departure comes amid internal police investigations into the events of October 7th. These internal reviews, which began in May, focus on the battles fought by police forces on the morning of the Hamas attacks. Senior command staff, including all superintendents, were required to sign confidentiality agreements to prevent the premature release of investigation details before families of fallen officers were informed.

During a meeting of the superintendents, a disagreement arose between Commissioner Levy and Superintendent Cohen, who was the commander of the Southern District at the time of the attacks. Sources present at the meeting reported that Cohen expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the investigation was being presented. In response, the Commissioner rebuked Cohen, stating, "We will present what happened there. The officers are heroes, we are committed to the truth for the families of the fallen."

Despite widespread coverage of the officers' bravery on October 7th, and Cohen's own combat involvement, the internal investigations have drawn criticism from senior officers regarding the command and control functions of the Southern District. Among those who raised concerns were the former commander of the Special Patrol Unit (YAMAM), the former head of the Operations Division, and the commander of the Border Police, who engaged in verbal disputes with Cohen on the matter.