Photo/Illutration A police officer with a wearable camera preparing to provide security during a marathon (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

The assassination a year ago of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the recent outbreak of fraud cases have been a wake-up call to the National Police Agency and reliance on tried-and-true police methods. 

For the first time, the NPA has compiled a comprehensive revision of police organizations and roles to deal with threats and other new types of crimes.

“There has been an increase in special fraud cases and it is clear that relying on past methods is not working,” NPA Commissioner General Yasuhiro Tsuyuki told The Asahi Shimbun. “Police are unable to properly deal with the threats facing society and unless efforts are made to fill in the blind spots existing in the organization and overall structure, the distortions will only become larger.”

While the NPA has compiled the broad outlines of what areas should be covered by the reform, it will be up to each prefectural police department to compile the specific measures to strengthen their organizations.

The directive was issued on July 3 at a meeting in Tokyo by Tsuyuki to the assembled heads of prefectural police departments.

One blind spot in the security setup at Nara city for Abe’s campaign speech in July 2022 was the lack of protection to the rear of the former prime minister’s position on the podium.

The NPA directive calls for doing away with such gaps in the overall police organization by taking bold measures that are not simply rehashing past practices.

Among the areas the NPA is calling for greater attention is cooperation to deal with special fraud; strengthening measures to deal with cybercrime; dealing with lone offenders; and protecting VIPs.

As opposed to coping with organized crime, the NPA guidelines focus attention on a new type of gang recruited through social media and whose members often remain anonymous and more fluid in committing various criminal acts.

To deal with such groups committing special fraud that often spans the nation, prefectural police departments where residents have been victimized will be allowed to ask other departments, including the Metropolitan Police Department, for cooperation in investigating the crimes.

Police officers mainly based at police boxes or smaller police stations will be given body cameras they can use when questioning individuals they stop on the street.

There have been cases of such questioning being recorded by those being questioned and then posted to social media, which has often led to criticism about the methods used.

By having the police officer wear a body camera, the NPA is hoping that greater understanding will develop over how the officers carry out their duties.

Police officers can wear the small detachable cameras on their shoulders or chests

Among the areas in which their use is being envisioned are when police officers are patrolling on motorcycles or providing security at large events as well as during marathons by running alongside participants while wearing the devices. 

Related News