Breaking Update
Local Israeli City Police Forces Officially Recognized for First Time
Israel officially recognizes local city police forces for the first time with a new law enacted July 14, 2025, integrating 1,200 officers to deter crime and.
Jerusalem, 25 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — For the first time, a permanent law making local police forces official was implemented.
In Israel, the police are a national law enforcement agency. However, in recent years larger cities have implemented their own local law enforcement departments, which have now been made official under an Israeli law enacted on July 14, 2025.
The Ministry of National Security, through the Directorate of Local Enforcement Systems, operates the Local Policing Program – an integrated enforcement system that includes municipal policing and supervision forces, operating in full coordination between local authorities and the Israel Police. The goal of the program is to deter, prevent, and enforce quality of life offenses and reduce violence in the public sphere, while providing a rapid response to incidents and strengthening residents’ sense of personal security.
Currently, 102 local policing units are deployed throughout the country, with the following sectoral distribution: 60 units in the general sector, 7 units in mixed cities, 23 units in the non-Jewish sector, 9 units in regional councils and 3 units in the Haredi sector. The total manpower is approximately 1,200 police officers, along with approximately 1,200 police inspectors.
