Details from top cop’s meeting to complain about media leaks… leak

Report quotes Kobi Shabtai telling senior police officers they may have to undergo lie detector tests if leaks continue

By ToI Staff 7 October 2021, 6:22 pm

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Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai appears at the Knesset on September 13, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai reportedly railed against leaks to the press during a recent meeting with senior officers, but the message did not appear to sink in. Those comments have leaked as well.

In leaks from the meeting, published by the Kan public broadcaster, Shabtai was quoted as saying that officers could have to undergo polygraph tests if the leaks continue to appear in the media.

“I came to work,” Shabtai reportedly said. “I need to deal with leaks and briefings, including against me, that are not always accurate. If there are complaints, here is the place to raise them.”

The report, which did not cite a source, said that Shabtai did not accuse any particular officer of orchestrating the leaks, and said that the phenomenon was damaging to the force.

It was not clear if there had been any specific leaks that irked Shabtai.

“We do not comment on things said in closed deliberations,” police said in response.

In 2018, then-police commissioner Roni Alsheich said over 100 high-ranking officers were cleared of having leaked information from sensitive investigations after undergoing lie-detector tests.