Israel Police

Freedom of Information Law

Table of Contents

About the law
The law and the regulations
How to submit a request
A request form for information (a Word file)

The law that took effect in May 1999 states that every Israeli citizen and resident has the right to obtain information from a public authority, according to the stipulations of the law.

The law gives an Israeli citizen the right to obtain information from the police about its activities, statistical data, etc.

The person requesting information is entitled to submit any request for information of this type, with no explanation required. The person responsible for freedom of information is obligated to respond, under the instructions set by law.

2. The law and the regulations

Freedom of Information Law (5758-1998)
Freedom of Information Regulations (5759-1999)
Freedom of Information Regulations – Fees (5759-1999)

3. How to submit a request

If you wish to obtain information from the Israel Police, you must apply in writing (no explanation required) to:

Chief Superintendent Nahum Boker
Responsible for freedom of information
Israel Police
National Headquarters
Jerusalem 91906
Tel. 02-5308270/1 Fax: 02-5308269
E-mail: pniot@police.gov.il

When the request is received in the office of the responsible officer, a fee payment voucher will be sent to the person making the request, and a form for obligation to pay a handling and production fee, up to a maximum of 204 NIS. Handling of the request will begin when confirmation of payment is received.

Payment of the fee
The law requires the collection of fees, according the following regulations:

Type of Fee	Description	Price
Request fee		NIS 77
Handling fee	Locating, sorting, and handling the information	NIS 40 per work hour, starting from the third hour
Production fee	Photocopying, production	NIS 1.02 per photocopied page or computer printout page. NIS 4.08 for a diskette.

We will notify the applicant of the amount of the obligation after we calculate the cost of handling and producing the information.

The applicant is entitled to appeal the decision about the fee to the Magistrates Court within 30 days of being notified of the decision.

Exemption from paying fees
A request for personal information is exempt from payment of a request fee, and from a handling fee for four work hours, starting from the third hour. Similarly, perusing the written procedures used by the authority is exempt from payment of a fee. These procedures are available to the public in reading rooms at every district police office.

Date of decision on a request
By law, the police must decide on a request within 30 days of receiving the request and payment of the request fee.

In cases where the request is complicated, involving other parties, the officer responsible is entitled to extend the decision-making period by a further 30 days. In certain cases stipulated by law, the Police Commissioner is entitled to extend the decision-making period by another 60-day period.

If the police decide to extend the period as described above, a letter will be sent to the applicant, explaining the need for an extension. From the day the police decide to deliver the information, the information will be delivered to the person making the request within 15 days at most.

Filing an appeal
If the request for information is refused, the person making the request is entitled to file an appeal with the District Court within 30 days of being notified of the refusal.