The Ministry of Public Security is responsible for the operational preparation and the readiness for emergencies and crises, of all the authorities subjected to it: The Israel Police; the IPS; and the Firefighting and Rescuing Services. Its main activity is unifying the authorities responsible for providing aid; mediating between them; and operating them effectively. There is great significance in ensuring the continuity and consecutiveness of all functions in such situations; whether it is the functions of the aiding authorities, the market or the society as a whole. The Ministry's authorities and responsibilities are defined by the law and the government's decisions.
The Security Secretariat, the Emergency Administration, the Operational Information Center, and the Crisis Planning Forum; are the units that would aid the Minister of Public Security to implement his authority to the best of his ability.
In addition to the Ministry's preparation to act and respond in crises, every government ministry must also be prepared administratively for a crisis situation. The Ministry's Logistics Headquarters is in charge of coming up with emergency regulations, finding out the needs of the various units within the ministry and grouping them, and conducting the necessary logistic management.
What is an Emergency and Crisis Situation?
An emergency or crisis situation is an unusual event, which causes a severe deviation from the ministry's regular activity, and may cause harm to the citizens of Israel, their possessions or the ministry's reputation.
Crisis Situations which the Ministry is Responsible for
The Minister of Public Security's ministerial duty is to treat the following crisis situations:
Terrorism (commanding, controlling and staff work, under the responsibility of the Israel Police)
Order Violations (commanding and controlling under the responsibility of the Israel Police)
Mass Disasters (commanding and controlling under the responsibility of the Israel Police)
Earthquake (the general responsibility of the Ministry of Public Security. The Israel Police is responsible for providing immediate solutions).
The ministry is also responsible for safeguarding the prisoners held in the imprisonment facilities, and continuing to provide police and freighting services.
In light of the fact that the Israel Police has an operational responsibility in all the above cases, and the Minister of Public Security has a ministerial responsibility for the police's activities; there are some implications regarding the responsibility and authority of the minister in such cases, since he is the one responsible for the preparation and readiness of the police for emergencies.
In order for him to optimally operate all the authorities for which he is responsible, the Minister of Public Security must have an updated situation report of everything that is going on in the field. Reliable information will help the minister make the right decisions regarding the functions and the proper means of operation of the Israel Police, the IPS, and the Firefighting and Rescue Services; all by extensively cooperating with additional authorities that are responsible for the protection of citizens (i.e. the Home Front Command, the National Emergency Authority, the IDF, the Ministry of Security, the Ministry of Health and Megen David Adom).