Four police officers investigated for alleged sexual assault at station

A commander of a Jerusalem District Police station, his deputy, and two other police officers were investigated following allegations that they sexually assaulted a female janitor.

The Ministry of Justice’s Police Internal Investigations Department (PID) did not find evidence to prosecute after the officers claimed the sexual relations with the cleaning worker were consensual.

The alleged offenses, reported by Channel 1 on Sunday, took place a few months ago at the Jerusalem police station.

In addition to the sexual assault allegation, one of the officers allegedly imprisoned the cleaning woman in a room at the station.

On Sunday, the PID recommended a disciplinary hearing against the officers. The station commander, who has a rank of chief superintendent, and another police officer were placed on leave until the disciplinary proceedings conclude. A third officer was dismissed.

“After examining the evidence and the overall circumstances of the case, no evidence was found of a criminal offense, but it is apparent that there was misconduct, and therefore the PID recommended that the two police commanders and the police officers be brought in for a disciplinary trial,” the PID said in a statement.

“My client was returned to active duty and that speaks for itself,” attorney Yehuda Shoshan, who represents the deputy commander of the station, told Ynet News on Sunday.

A number of high-ranking officers have been accused of sexual harassment and assault, among them former deputy police commissioner Nissim Mor, who plead guilty in July 2016 to sexually harassing several lower-ranking officers.