A member of the Givati infantry brigade trains in a simulated urban warfare scenario with his canine companion. Photo: IDF Spokesperson Unit.

JNS.org – The Israel police has recruited former soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces’ elite units to volunteer in a new police unit, designed to confront the violence and crime that have become prevalent in eastern Jerusalem.

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, whose idea it was to establish this new unit, told Israel Hayom on Wednesday that “this unit will give the police force a boost of strength, as it introduces advanced operational capabilities that will give [the police] an edge in confronting the security challenges in east[ern] Jerusalem.”

“Down the road, we are looking to establish additional special volunteer units and deploy them in areas with high in violence and crime,” he said.

The volunteers, who specialize in anti-terrorism, are also graduates of the Shin Bet’s Personal Security Unit. The unit’s association of veterans turned to Erdan to volunteer their unique training and experience in dangerous, challenging areas, such as eastern Jerusalem.

The unit’s work there focuses on seam zone neighborhoods (between east and west Jerusalem). Its members have undergone unique training devised specifically for their purposes, including elements of policing, operating roadblocks, interrogation, investigation, handling illegal residents, field acclimatization and operational readiness.

The unit has recently launched its first action in the field.

The volunteers wear police uniforms, operate alongside patrol officers and will be trained for additional types of missions in the future.