POLICE

The Palestinian Civil Police Force is the civil police organization responsible for traditional policing functions in the autonomous territory governed by the Palestinian National Authority. The Civil Police Force is part of the Palestinian security services. Founded with over 10,000 officers, it was the largest component of the Palestinian national security forces. The agreement provided for the Civil Police to maintain law and order from 25 stations in the Palestinian-administered parts of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. During the second intifada and its armed conflict, Palestinian police were unable to patrol armed or in uniform, for fear of being mistaken for combatants by Israeli security forces. After three years, Palestinian police forces returned to regular operations in 2003-2004. Since 2007, Palestinian civil police and Israeli police have been cooperating more closely as part of confidence-building measures and Palestinian institution-building.