Oct. 7 Hero Amir Cohen Retires From Israel Police

Chief Superintendent Amir Cohen, commander of the Central District in the Israel Police, announced his retirement from the force after decades of command on the security front. Cohen, who was critically wounded in combat on October 7, 2023, while serving as Border Police commander, ends a long and distinguished career in Israeli law enforcement.

Cohen's departure comes after a brief and intense tenure as Central District commander, a post to which he was appointed in November 2025 as part of a round of senior appointments approved by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Police Commissioner Dany Levy. During his time in the role, the district faced heavy challenges, chief among them violent crime in the Arab sector, particularly in Lod and Ramle.

Cohen, born in 1970 and raised in Tiberias's Shikun Dalet neighborhood, enlisted in the Border Police in 1988 and spent the bulk of his career in the force. Over the years he commanded field units, battalions and regions, rising to the position of Border Police commander from 2021 to 2023. In June 2023 he was appointed commander of the Southern District and moved his family to Sderot.

On the morning of October 7, 2023, Cohen was among the first to understand that the situation was not merely rocket fire but a large-scale infiltration. After a phone call with a resident of Kfar Aza, he declared at 06:41 over the police radio a "Philistine invasion", the code for mobilizing forces in the event of terrorist infiltration and a multi-arena incident. The order brought many officers out of their homes and established defensive lines that saved numerous lives.

Cohen himself reached the Sderot police station, took part in the fierce battle against dozens of terrorists, was wounded by shrapnel in the eye and two bullets in the back, but refused evacuation and continued to command. Later he also handled events in Ofakim. For his actions that day he was chosen to light a torch at the 76th Independence Day ceremony.

At the end of 2024, Cohen completed his term in the Southern District and went on leave and study. In November 2025 he returned to active duty and was appointed Central District commander, replacing Chief Superintendent Yair Hatzroni, who was promoted to deputy commissioner. At the change-of-command ceremony in December 2025 in Ramle, he emphasized a policy of aggressive enforcement alongside service to the citizen.

Alongside the recognition for his heroism on October 7, tensions were recorded with Commissioner Levy. In May 2026, during a presentation of the police investigations into the October 7 massacre at a forum of chief superintendents, Cohen expressed dissatisfaction with the way the findings were presented, which included criticism of the Southern District's performance. The commissioner rebuked him, saying "we will present what happened there... the officers are heroes and we are committed to the families of the fallen."

That same month, at a senior staff meeting, Cohen opposed police assistance to the IDF in arresting yeshiva students defined as "deserters," saying that "the army is dragging us into an incident" and that "they won't tell us how to prioritize missions." The commissioner clarified that the police would honor the High Court ruling and provide assistance.

Cohen is regarded as an experienced field officer with a long operational record in the Border Police and the districts. His supporters emphasize the rapid decisions he made on October 7 and his willingness to fight in the field even while wounded.