Case of Yossi Boker
Assistant Commander, Police Investigative Department - Jerusalem, Israel
Head of the Central Investigative Unit - Shfela Police
Arrested on charges that he sexually assaulted his secretary. If you have a photograph or any updated information on this case, please forward it to The Awareness Center.
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Table of Contents:
2005
Police commander interrogated on charges of sexual harassment (08/11/2005)
Senior police commander accused of sexual harassment
(08/12/2005)
- Senior cops suspected of bribery (09/14/2005)
- Top cops probed for taking bribes
(09/14/2005)
- Remand extended for cop in bribery case (09/15/2005)
- Museri charged with accepting bribes (09/20/2005)
- Clean up the police (09/18/2005)
- Senior police officer questioned (09/20/2005)
Senior police officer sent on forced leave pending bribery probe (09/20/2005)
- All's not well at the central district's Central Unit (11/04/2005)
2006
- Suspended CIU head treated after suicide attempt (01/10/2006)
- Senior police officer attempts suicide (01/11/2006)
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Police commander interrogated on charges of sexual harassment:
Boker released after questioning, will not return to post in the meantime
Haaretz - August 11, 2005
Justice Ministry officials on Wednesday night interrogated Police
Central District commander Yossi Boker on suspicion that he had sexually
harassed his personal secretary.
Boker
was called into the Ministry of Justice's department for the
investigation of officers after his secretary filed complaints weeks ago
that he had spoken to her coarsely and had touched her inappropriately.
He
was released past midnight after several hours of questioning, but it
was decided that in the meanwhile, he would not return to his post.
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Senior police commander accused of sexual harassment
By Roni Singer-Heruti
Haaretz - August 12, 2005
Commander Yossi Boker, who heads the Police Central District's
central investigations unit, was questioned under caution for several
hours on Wednesday by the Justice Ministry's Police Investigations Unit,
on suspicion of sexually harassing a secretary in his department.
Following
the interrogation, Boker was released, but forbidden to return to work
for two weeks or to have any contact with the secretary. Boker denied
the allegations against him.
The
secretary, who filed her complaint a few days ago, said that Boker had
harassed her both verbally - by making crude sexual suggestions - and
physically, by touching her. Boker was summoned for questioning
Wednesday afternoon, and the session lasted until after midnight.
Haaretz
has learned that the police filed disciplinary charges against Boker 10
years for a similar offense. In that case, a policewoman who worked
with him accused him of sexually harassment. Boker was convicted, fined
and given a severe reprimand, but the conviction never hindered his
upward progress through the police ranks.
Boker
was appointed to his current position less than a year ago. News of the
new investigation was greeted with shock by colleagues.
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Senior cops suspected of bribery
By Yaakov Katz
Jerusalem Post - September 14, 2005
Two senior officers from the Central District were questioned on
Tuesday by the Justice Ministry's Police Investigations Department for
allegedly receiving bribes from criminals.
Asst.-Cmdr. Yossi Boker,
head of the Central Investigative Unit, was taken to the hospital
after he complained of not feeling well during his interrogation.
The other officer, Meir Musseri, Boker's subordinate and head of
investigations
Boker was suspended from his sensitive position and put on leave in
August after an investigation was opened into allegations he had
sexually harassed his secretary. Recently appointed head of the unit,
Boker had previously served as chief of police in Lod, where he
initiated the Green Island drug crackdown operation in which police
arrested dozens of drug dealers and had dramatically lowered the level
of crime in the area.
A well-respected officer
in the Central District, Musseri on Monday oversaw an undercover
operation and the arrest of 19 drug dealers in Lod. Ironically, before
the policemen went out to make the arrests, Insp.-Gen. Moshe Karadi
and Cmdr. Beni Kaniyak, head of the Central District, praised Musseri
for a job well done.
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Top cops probed for taking bribes
By Roni Singer-Heruti
Haaretz - September 14, 2005
Police officers at the Central District's central unit didn't know
whether to laugh or cry yesterday when they found out that their
commander, Yossi Boker, was being questioned for the second time in
several weeks by internal affairs investigators in the Justice Ministry.
A
few weeks ago Boker was suspected of sexually harassing his secretary.
Now investigators suspect him of working with a Shfela district police
commander, Meir Musari, and accepting bribes and favors from criminal
elements in exchange for closing the cases against them. The bribery
allegations relate to a period during which Boker and Musari worked
together in the Lod police station.
Early
yesterday morning, the internal affairs investigators arrived at the
office of Shfela district commander Yifrah Duchovny and informed him
they planned to question Musari - who made the headlines this week as
the officer responsible for a large, successful operation that captured a
Lod crime ring suspected of dealing drugs. Musari was called into
Duchovny's office, where the investigators told him he was under arrest
and took him in for questioning. The interrogation lasted several hours.
Other
investigators arrived at Boker's house yesterday morning. Boker has
been at home for the last few weeks because he was suspended in
connection with the sexual harassment investigation. Boker too was taken
in for questioning, but a short time before the interrogation began in
Rishon Letzion, Boker became ill - apparently from heart pains - and was
taken to Assaf Harofeh Hospital for treatment.
Several
police sources said the investigation appears to relate to events that
allegedly took place several years ago, while Boker was in charge of the
Lod police station and Musari was the station's intelligence chief.
The
sources said Musari collaborated with members of a Lod family with a
criminal reputation and received favors from them. In one instance, the
sources said, one of the family members allegedly hit someone with a car
and killed him. Musari and Boker came to the scene, and when they
realized who was involved, they apparently made sure the case was not
pursued, the sources said. In return, Musari and Boker are suspected of
having received favors - in this case, apparently a sailing trip.
The
internal affairs investigators are said to also be looking into the
suspects' involvement in several other cases of alleged bribery. Police
officers in the Central District expressed shock when they found out
yesterday morning that the two admired senior officers were being
questioned. Police issued a statement on the investigation early
yesterday in the wake of the circulating rumors, and in the afternoon
Duchovny convened Shfela district commanders and discussed the probe.
It
was only Monday that the Central District celebrated Musari's success
in breaking the crime ring in Lod. Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra
and the police chief participated in a festive ceremony and praised
Musari as the head of the team that broke the case.
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Remand extended for cop in bribery case
Yaakov Katz
Jerusalem post - September 15, 2004
The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on Wednesday extended the
remand of Ch.-Supt. Meir Musseri, suspected of receiving bribes from
underworld elements, by an additional five days.
Musseri was arrested on Tuesday by the Justice Ministry's Internal
Affairs Department on suspicions that, as head of the Shfela Police's
Central Investigative Unit, he received various benefits from criminal
elements and assisted in closing open cases against them.
Musseri's commander, Asst.-Cmdr. Yossi Boker
head of the Central District's Central Investigative Unit, was also
detained for questioning on Tuesday but was evacuated to hospital after
he complained of not feeling well during his interrogation. Internal
Affairs reportedly intends to question dozens of cops from the Central
District as part of their investigation.
Judge Haim Liran wrote in his decision to extend Musseri's remand that,
if released, the suspect might try to obstruct the investigation. Lod
resident Sami Jusas, arrested on Wednesday for allegedly bribing the
senior officers, was released to five days of house arrest.
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Museri charged with accepting bribes
Jerusalem Post - September 20, 2005
Police Chief Superintendent Meir Museri, commander of the Police Investigative Department, was arrested and charged Tuesday morning for allegedly accepting bribes from criminals.
The Police Investigative Department (PID) recommended that Museri be removed from the police force.
Also arrested Tuesday was Asst.-Cmdr. Yossi Boker. Boker, who was interrogated a few weeks ago on charges of sexual harassment, was taken in for questioning Tuesday morning after an additional complaint of harassment was received, Israel Radio reported.
Once Boker was in custody, investigators used the opportunity to question him on charges of bribery.
Both Boker and Moseri were suspected of closing cases for members of crime families.
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Clean up the police
Jerusalem Post - September 18, 2005
Editorial
Police organizations the world
over like to believe that that their members are incorruptible
"untouchables," who cannot be tempted by criminal elements with ample
resources to buy immunity from law enforcement. But absolute
incorruptibility exists only in fiction. Real-life policemen are in
contact with lawless elements and, in close proximity, dirt can rub
off.
On occasion in years past isolated cases
of cops-on- the-take have surfaced in our bailiwick as well, but they
seemed few and far between. Lately, however, two big cases have burst
on our scene almost simultaneously.
The first
involves the Perinian brothers of Moshav Hodaya, described by the
prosecution as running a veritable organized crime empire. Their case
includes all the hallmarks of a cinematic thriller. They allegedly
hired a policeman to carry out contract hits for them and then tried
to assassinate him. The prosecution, for reasons which themselves
warrant investigation, failed to strike a deal for the "bad apple" to
turn state's evidence. After various convolutions of the plot, the
officer-terminator fled abroad, but was murdered in Mexico.
The brothers reportedly continued their operations while hobnobbing
with prominent police higher-ups. Though social contacts with known
criminals are strictly taboo for policemen, the police's own Internal
Investigations Section seems to have let those senior officers off the
hook.
In the second case, Ch.-Supt. Meir Musseri and Asst.- Cmdr. Yossi Boker,
commanders respectively of the central units of the Coastal Plain and
Central Districts, are both under investigation for taking bribes to
halt pursuit of underworld kingpins.
The very
fact that policemen can turn off the heat immediately makes greasing
their palms an attractive option for those attempting to escape
justice. This has spawned recommendations to take away file-closing
authority from the local precinct level. But that's not good enough.
Attempts to buy police "cooperation" can also be made at the point in
which files are opened.
Corruption is a
constant potential companion to police work. It has little to do with
how much policemen earn, as some here currently suggest. Lawbreakers
will always earn more than lawmen. At one time in New York, officers
were categorized as herbivores or carnivores. The former enjoyed
forbidden perks from shopkeepers, the latter were accomplices to
serious crime.
Despite all this, it must be
stressed that Israel's police - as compared to its counterparts abroad -
is relatively clean. Yet this fact cannot suffice for comfort. The
recent incidents are warning signals that must not be ignored.
Moreover, the confluence of cases and their attendant bad publicity
trigger dynamics of their own, undermining public trust in the police.
The tarnishing of the police's image hampers its ability to
function adequately, which in turn further boosts crime. This
escalating spiral can lead to far- ranging and unanticipated social
consequences. The challenge is first and foremost one for the internal
security minister and the police inspector-general. It is in their
power to nip in the bud this dangerous phenomenon, which hitherto has
been largely swept under the rug and belittled, if not altogether
denied.
A systematic internal supervisory
structure can be created to address this problem and prevent the
development of improper police norms.
In
addition, the methods whereby officers are appointed to top jobs are
ripe for reform. Today promotions are in the hands of small
departmental cliques, hardly free from outside influence. A more
transparent process, possibly involving open tenders within the force,
along with requirements for proven ethical standards and spotless past
records might keep shadier personnel away from key positions.
The establishment of an outside control framework like New York's
famed Police Foundation, to keep tabs on the actual effectiveness of
police work as well as on its ethics, would go far towards inculcating
in officers the realization that fighting corruption is more than a
slogan. It is a basic value without which the police cannot function.
Last but not least, there must be no leniency towards cops who have
sinned just a little. There should be zero tolerance for minor
transgressions, indeed for any infraction, even if these may not
generate actual indictments. When all our officers understand that they
cannot zigzag on the shady edges of the law with impunity, we will
all sleep better at night.
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Senior police officer questioned
By Yaakov Katz
Jerusalem Post - September 20, 2005
Asst.-Cmdr. Yossi Boker
was questioned Monday by the Police Investigative Department in the
Justice Ministry on suspicion of taking bribes from criminal elements
in Lod.
Boker, head of the Central District's
Central Investigative Unit, was released after five hours of
questioning, Israel Radio reported. He was summoned for continued
questioning, possibly as soon as Tuesday.
The
recently appointed head of the CIU had previously served as chief of
police in Lod, where he initiated the Green Island drug crackdown
operation in which police arrested dozens of local drug lords and
dramatically lowered the level of crime in the area.
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Senior police officer sent on forced leave pending probe
By Roni Singer-Heruti and Jonathan Lis
Haaretz - September 20, 2005
Superintendent Meir Museri, intelligence officer for the Shfela
Police District, was sent on a forced vacation from the yesterday
because of an investigation concerning him being conducted by the
Justice Ministry's Police Investigations Department (PID). Museri was
released on bail yesterday after being held following questioning by the
investigations unit.
Museri
and Commander Yossi Boker, commander of the Police Central District,
were questioned regarding allegations they accepted bribes in exchange
for "taking care" of certain investigations, and in some cases closing
them.
The
PID is investigating 25 alleged offenses by the two men, including
suspicions that the two acted to close the investigation of Sami
Ja'asus, a Lod resident who was suspected of manslaughter. Ja'asus was
suspected of running over and killing a woman while driving his car. The
PID is checking whether the two officers received bribes or other
benefits from Ja'asus in exchange for closing the case.
Since
Museri's arrest, there have been numerous rumors among the police about
the two officers' alleged misconduct, including the possibility that
they may have tried to tamper with evidence or even have move the dead
woman's body.
Police
Major General Gabi Gal, the head of service's Human Resources
Department, yesterday ordered the forced leave for Museri and his
brother, Assaf Museri, who was questioned by the police yesterday on
suspicion of having prevented the raid of a gambling establishment after
discovering that his mother was present at the scene.
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All's not well at the central district's Central Unit
By Roni Singer - Heruti
Haaretz - November 4, 2005
Members of the Central Unit's Investigation Department in the central
district have been on a staff trip in the south for the past two days.
Such trips are common for the police, since they offer an opportunity to
raise morale and strengthen the bond between the unit's commanders and
its members. However, the unit's morale is said to be low, and it has
not had a commander for the past several months.
Since
an August probe of the unit's head, Commander Yossi Boker, on
suspicions of sexual harassment, and a subsequent bribery probe of Boker
in September, the unit has been run by his deputy, Chief Superintendent
Danny Balorian.
The
possible move of the commander of the central district, Major General
Benny Kaniak, to the post of deputy police commissioner has also
contributed to the sense of uncertainty in the Central Unit. As long as a
new district commander has not been appointed, sources in the unit say,
it would not be appropriate to make decisions about other positions.
Highlighting woebegone state
As in other districts, the central district's Central Unit deals with
the worst crimes and organized crime in its area. The unit achieved
several highly publicized successes under its former commander,
Brigadier General Menashe Arbiv, now commander of the Sharon region,
including the capture of the man who killed police officer Aviv Karado
in Lod in an operation that involved field work in Jordan, and the
arrest of several "soldiers" of reputed underworld leader Itzhak
Abergil.
But
past successes only highlight the unit's present woebegone state.
Police headquarters decided to transfer the Abergil case from the unit
six months ago, and then it also moved a case involving the reputed
crime Abutbul family in Netanya to the International Relations Unit.
Sources
in the latter unit say that contrary to Central Unit statements that
the Abutbul case was "close to being cracked," the material was
insignificant and certainly not enough to issue arrests.
Mutual recriminations
Relations between the central district's Central Unit and its Tel Aviv
counterpart have never been particularly warm. However, last year's
arrest of the alleged crime kingpins the Ohana brothers and the success
of the central district's Central Unit to obtain a key witness, Yaron
Sanker, which Tel Aviv's Central Unit had failed to accomplish, led to a
series of ongoing mutual recriminations between the two.
The
central district's Central Unit sources say investigations are going
nowhere, and they come to the office to "pass another day." The central
district's Central Unit spokesman, Chief Superintendent Yigal Hadad,
however, says it is working on a number of big cases that he cannot
currently discuss. He adds that as long as the investigation against
Boker is proceeding, a decision as to whether to appoint his replacement
will not be made.
However,
unit sources say that work is proceeding on Jowarish crime family case
as well as a few bogged-down investigations, such as the murder of
three-year-old Leah Katayev and her cousin, who were apparently
accidentally shot while riding in a car in Ramle. Regardless, no arrests
in this case are imminent.
The
unit's gloom is further deepened by a lawsuit filed by Sanker against
the unit for illegally extracting testimony from him. During the trial,
the judges harshly criticized the unit's investigators.
Proud of the collar
The unit is reportedly proud of it success in nabbing an alleged
central figure in the Hariri-Ayiat crime organization, businessman
Daniel Molkanadov, who is suspected of having sought to take out a
contract on the life of journalist Moshe Danon.
However,
the central district's State Prosecutor's Office recently informed
Molkanadov that the case against him has been closed.
The
questioning of unit members by the Justice Ministry's Police
Investigations Department (PID) has created a split between members of
the unit, with those who served in the unit before he took command
opposed to him.
Next
week's expected return of the unit's secretary who had filed the
harassment charges against Boker, is apparently causing some tension,
although some unit sources say that while it may not be "paradise,"
things are "not so bad."
"True,
there are things that do not contribute to morale," a source says. "But
the unit's spirit is stronger than anything else."
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Suspended CIU head treated after suicide attempt
By YAAKOV KATZ
Jerusalem Post - Jan. 10, 2006
Asst.-Cmdr. Yossi Boker, suspended head of the central district's Central Investigative Unit (CIU) was evacuated to Assaf Harofe hospital following an attempted suicide on Tuesday.
He was released from the hospital after being treated for swallowing a large amount of pills.
He was forced to take a leave of absence from his top post recently after the Police Investigations Unit launched a probe against him in September for allegedly taking bribes and for sexual harassment.
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Senior police officer attempts suicide
By Yaakov Katz
Asst.-Cmdr. Yossi Boker,
the suspended head of the Central District's Central Investigative
Unit, was taken to Assaf Harofeh Hospital in Tzrifin Tuesday morning
after he apparently tried to commit suicide.
Boker was found by his wife at home after he reportedly swallowed a
large number of pills. He was treated at the hospital and was later
released.
Boker was forced to take a leave of
absence from his post in August after he came under investigation by
the Justice Ministry's Police Investigations Department on suspicions
he sexually assaulted his secretary.
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