Police Minister Shlomo Hillel has warned the Knesset that any cuts in the police budget in line with the new economic policy may hamper police task of protecting citizens from criminals and terrorists. He said the damage which would ensue, at a time when domestic crime as well as assaults across the borders were expected to increase, could not be compared with the problems that budget cuts might cause in other ministries.
Hillel indicated that the building of houses and roads can be postponed, but not protecting citizens. He said that since the beginning of the year crime has increased steadily and in a noticeable degree. “We are passing through a characteristic and difficult post-war phase now,” he said. “Potential offenders have amassed considerable quantities of firearms as a result of the war and we can expect violent crime to increase.”
Hillel, making his annual survey of the Ministry’s operations, said the Ministry would spend some IL four million on a new crack border police unite designed for emergency operations.
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