Since 2006
Dr. Maxim Lengo is a police officer, criminal investigations officer, and deputy base commander who has dedicated most of his military service to combating domestic violence.
Beginning of Service
In February 2006, Maxim joined the IDF’s Military Police Investigative Unit (Mezah). After six months of training, he assumed the role of a criminal investigator. As part of his duties, Maxim was responsible for investigating criminal events, which included locating evidence, interrogating suspects, collecting testimonies, and visiting crime scenes. He utilized various technological tools, both overt and covert, to aid in his investigations. These tasks sometimes required him to transition from military to civilian attire. Maxim’s role demanded analytical thinking, emotional resilience, wisdom, creativity, and excellent written and verbal communication skills. “The IDF’s primary purpose is to safeguard the existence of the State of Israel, its independence, and the security of its inhabitants. The Military Police and its Mezah unit are committed to protecting the military from all types of criminal offenses committed within it, whether minor or serious. These offenses could involve situations such as soldiers using drugs, engaging in dangerous driving, or any other violation of military law.”
Officers’ Course at Bahad 1
After serving only a year, Maxim volunteered to attend the IDF Officers’ School (Bahad 1) to transition from a soldier to a commander. “The aura surrounding Bahad 1 gives it an additional strength beyond officer training. Thanks to this, commanders can leverage and enhance the qualities and characteristics that cadets bring from home. In my opinion, the course made us not only commanders but also better people.” The ten-week training at Bahad 1 occurred between the preparatory phase for officer training and the corps training phase. It covered topics such as an officer’s exemplary character, leadership, and professionalism. “I quickly realized that the mission before me was much more than just receiving the platoon commander’s pin and, later on, the officer’s ranks. It involved taking on greater responsibility for myself and my surroundings, the individual and the collective.” During his training, Maxim learned that he needed to perform tasks to the best of his ability, earn the trust of his commanders and the respect of his soldiers, lead by example and volunteerism spirit, both learn and teach, commit to the military profession, remain curious and humble, focus on self-development, and help develop his subordinates. This process also taught Maxim about courage, positive tricks, bravery, fresh and critical thinking, and how to manage decision-making processes with deep and creative thought, breaking conventions, and applying different thinking patterns according to each possible situation. “One of the highlights was an exercise I performed for about ten days on what it’s like to be a commander of an entire battalion. Suddenly, all the pieces of the command-training puzzle started to come together and take shape. Given the scope of activities, they manifested in around-the-clock tasks that needed to be performed perfectly, requiring meeting targets, which meant achieving the desired result at the individual, platoon, company, and battalion levels.”
Investigations Officer and Deputy Base Commander
As an investigations officer and deputy base commander, Maxim led his team in addressing incidents with criminal aspects. The role included enforcing the prohibition of dangerous drugs, handling the loss of weapons, burglary, theft, bullying, financial deficits, sexual offenses, severe injuries, non-operational deaths, and other enforcement tasks as part of their daily routine, alongside ongoing individual care and professional response to all IDF units around the clock. “Everyone was aware that the days started with a morning meeting, but I could never predict how they would unfold and when they would end.” As someone who oversaw a sector covering approximately 130 kilometers, managing tasks and responding to events in real-time often demanded creativity, composure, sound judgment, and the ability to keep the team motivated even in the most challenging situations. “When a victim of sexual offenses seeks help and wishes to file a complaint, the response needs to be immediate, just like handling crime scenes. Naturally, the presence of a female investigator is always preferred. However, if no female investigator was available, I had to take on the task myself. It involved expressing empathy, understanding, and solidarity towards the complainant while simultaneously gathering evidence immediately and delving into the details of testimonies, which, despite the sensitive nature, often had to be very detailed.” Other cases required dealing with close family members, “The families have entrusted the military with their most precious asset. In the unfortunate event of a severe injury or death, whether due to an accident or a suicidal act, they place all their hopes on the investigation results. While the casualty officer and direct commanders also play important roles in handling the family, the professional response regarding the event details is the responsibility of the investigating unit and mine – as the person in charge of the investigation file.”