"They put sticks in our wheels": A month after Maariv's exposé - police spokespeople still blocked from investigation files

A month after Maariv's exposé, police spokespeople remain blocked from accessing investigation files, contrary to the promise that access would be restored. Sources in the spokesperson unit are furious over "collective punishment" and call on the commissioner to intervene. Head of the Investigations and Intelligence Division Boaz Balt explained the block as a fear of leaks, but the spokespeople claim it harms their ability to work with the media.

A month after Maariv's exposé revealed the directive by the head of the Investigations and Intelligence Division in the police, Boaz Balt, to block police spokespeople's access to investigation files, the block remains in place, contrary to the promise that access would be restored within days. Sources in the spokesperson division are furious and describe a situation of "collective punishment": "It's simply impossible to work, it's a shame and a disgrace. They put sticks in our wheels and turned us all into leakers." They claim that the tool shortens work processes and enables accessibility to the media, and that if a spokesperson is suspected of leaks, they should be dealt with personally, not harm everyone. A senior police official told Maariv that the move expresses complete distrust in the spokespeople and sabotages the work of the spokesperson unit, and suggested checking leaks using systems like Google or ChatGPT. The spokespeople call on the police commissioner to intervene and restore their basic work tool.