Fired police volunteer: Cancel new rule limiting speech for officers

A police volunteer officer fired for a Facebook post criticizing National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on Sunday for a new directive limiting expression by officers to be canceled or else he would bring the directive before the courts. 

A new directive was issued on August 6, following the firing of police volunteer Lior Lipshitz over a July 29 Facebook post lambasting Ben-Gvir for harsh criticism against citizens based on their political orientation. 

Attorney Dr. Tal Rotman, representing Lipshitz, wrote in a letter to the Israel Police that the new orders significantly expanded restrictions on the freedom of expression of off-duty police volunteers. This directive was done without proper authority or legislation, said Rotman.

The letter called for the reinstatement of Lipshitz, the cancellation of the new directive, and to provide a complete explanation referencing the older directives for why he was expelled from the force. If his appeals were unanswered, Rotman warned that they would go to the courts.

Was an Israel Police volunteer fired retroactively?

Lipshitz's dismissal was a retroactive application of new rules, according to the letter. The volunteer was unceremoniously dismissed 48 hours after the post, after eight years of claimed exemplary service. 

Rotman argued that previous orders allowed volunteers to express themselves when they are not on actual duty. The only prohibition relevant, the attorney said, was a prohibition on acting in a manner that would harm the image of the police or discredit colleagues and commanders. Ben-Gvir was not Lipshitz's commander or colleague, Rotman said, and his client had offered nothing but praise for the force.

Police said last Sunday that it had always been the requirement for volunteers not to engage in political attacks while identifying as an officer. 

There have been claims of reduced volunteering with the police over a disagreement with the judicial reform and the political leadership of Ben-Gvir. A small group claiming to represent protesting police volunteers started a petition and warned of resignations, in mid-July. The protest group claimed that there had been a large wave of resignations of both volunteers and full-time officers.

The police last Monday disputed these claims, saying that there was no "wave of resignations," and had only 69 volunteers that froze or ended their service, and another 13 volunteers had been ejected due to political activism while identifying as officers. The police said that 1000 more volunteer officers were serving in the program compared to last year, totaling 25,000 volunteers in the system.

"Israel Police volunteers work in a continuous, systematic way with a high work ethic, sacrifice, and giving, without the need to receive in return, and for that we salute them," said the police.