I. Duties & Responsibilities of Police Officers

The class description for the position of Police Officer, as defined by the Municipal Fire & Police Civil

Service Board (rev. 7-10-75), is hereby reproduced in its entirety:

A. Nature Of Work

This is general and varied duty police work in the protection of life and property through the

enforcement of laws and ordinances. Work involves the responsibility for performing routine

police assignments that are received from police officers of superior rank. Work normally consists

of checking of parking meters for violations, routine patrol, preliminary investigation and traffic

regulation, and investigation duties in a designated area on an assigned shift which involve an

element of personal danger and employees must be able to act without direct supervision and to

exercise independent judgment in meeting emergencies. Employees may receive special

assignments which call upon specialized abilities and knowledge usually acquired through

experience as a uniformed officer. In addition, employees of the class may be required to assist

other personnel of the police department in conducting interrogations, searches, and related duties

as assigned, involving female prisoners or suspects, as well as in escorting females and juveniles to

and from designated points. Assignments and general and special instructions are received from a

superior officer who reviews work methods and results through reports, personal inspection, and

discussion.

For months now Gaza has been sending misiles into Israel. A peace treaty was established but Hamas, a terrorist group in Gaza, repeatedly broke this treaty by continuing to send rockets into Israel. Israel is simply responding to months of attacks. When the Peace treaty was ended by Hamas, the rocket fire when up to 80 per day. After Cast lead the rocket attacks went down to 2 - 3 a week

Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, like those in the West Bank, continue to be subject to Israeli control. For example, Israel controls Gaza's air space, territorial waters, and all border crossings. Palestinians in Gaza require Israel's consent to travel to and from Gaza, to take their goods to Palestinian and foreign markets, to acquire food and medicine, and to access water and electricity. Without Israel's permission, the Palestinian Authority (PA) cannot perform such basic functions of government as providing social, health, security and utility services, developing the Palestinian economy and allocating resources.

2). Terrorists or freedom fighters depending on your point of view continue to resist the Israeli occupation with rocket attacks. The reality is the rockets contain no warhead and no guidance system. It can argued that the rockets are nothing more than a large firework with no powder. The mortality rate from rocket attacks since 2001 in Israel is 0.002%

3). In January of 2009, Israel broke the peace and launched operation 'Cast Lead' a massive military offensive against a civilian population. It banned foreign press from entering Gaza. It used white phosphorus (a chemical weapon) on UN sanctioned hospitals and schools (a war crime). Within 23 days the death toll had reached 1,284 palestinians dead, 6 IDF by enemy fire and 3 IDF by friendly fire. When the operation had finished Israel had claimed more land from the Gaza strip in the name of secuirty zones for their protection.

The following links detail some of the incidents that took place during 2009