Mahash closes criminal case against Eyal Shahar, recommends disciplinary action
The Department for the Investigation of Police Officers (Mahash) has closed the criminal investigation into Haifa police station commander Lieutenant Colonel Eyal Shahar. Authorities found insufficient evidence for indecent assault charges and determined that a relationship with a subordinate did not cross the criminal threshold, though disciplinary proceedings have been recommended.
The Department for the Investigation of Police Officers (Mahash) has closed the criminal investigation file against Lieutenant Colonel Eyal Shahar, commander of the Haifa police station, and transferred the findings to the police disciplinary department with a recommendation to conduct disciplinary proceedings against him.
As part of the investigation, Mahash examined a suspicion of indecent assault against a female police officer. However, at the conclusion of the investigation, it was determined that there was insufficient evidence to establish a reasonable prospect of conviction. Among other things, the accounts of the involved parties ruled out that a sexual act occurred between Shahar and the officer involved in the suspicion. Alongside this, the investigation also dealt with a suspicion of breach of trust, against the backdrop of a sexual relationship that Shahar, according to the investigation's findings, maintained with another female officer who was his subordinate.
The investigation's findings established the existence of the relationship, but it emerged that it took place with the free and full consent of both parties. Mahash determined that a relationship of this type placed Shahar in a situation of potential conflict of interest between the interests he was entrusted with as a commander and his personal interest regarding that officer.
However, it was decided that under the circumstances of the case, the conduct did not cross the criminal threshold, and therefore the file against him was closed in this regard as well. At the same time, a recommendation was transferred to the police disciplinary department to bring him to a disciplinary hearing. Shahar was detained for questioning at Mahash after information about the relationship reached senior levels in the police. Following the information, a covert investigation was opened, which later became overt, leading to the officer being summoned for questioning.
At the end of his questioning, Shahar was released under restrictive conditions, including being distanced from the Haifa police station for 12 days and a total prohibition on contacting subordinates from the station he commands.
His attorney, Adv. Haim Shreiband, stated at the time:
"Lieutenant Colonel Eyal Shahar is an outstanding officer with many merits, who just in the last few days led the Haifa station to win the title of the outstanding station in the district. This achievement is the fruit of years of hard and dedicated work for the security of Haifa's residents. We regret that precisely at this time, on the eve of his deserved promotion, there are those who chose to try and harm his good name through an anonymous and baseless denunciation."
