Transcript COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

The Outline of the Police System
and the Community Police in Japan
The Japanese Experience with the Koban System
and Other Measures to Create Safer Community
OKABE Masakatsu
Police Superintendent
Deputy Director
Police Policy Research Center
National Police Academy, Tokyo, JAPAN
RESPONSIBILITIES
POLICE LAW stipulates
Protecting life, persons, and property of an individual
Preventing, suppressing and investigating crimes
Apprehension of suspects
Traffic enforcement
Maintaining public safety and order
Public Safety Commission
National Public Safety Commission
controls National Police Agency
Prefectural Public Safety Commission
controls Prefectural Police
Japanese Police System

National Police Agency (NPA)

47 Prefectural Polices
Each prefectural police force is independent each other.
NPA coordinates the activities of prefectural police.
COMMUNITY POLICE

Patrol Police, Outside Duty Police
↓ since 1992
Community Police
THE MAIN FEATURES OF
COMMUNITY POLICE IN JAPAN
Service to the community
 Maintain the good relationship with the
local community
 Grasp the needs of residents
 Supply the appropriate information about
community safety

KOBAN & CHUZAISHO
as “COMMUNITY SAFETY
CENTERS”
14,438 KOBANS & CHUZAISHOS
6,556 KOBANS
7,882 CHUZAISHOS
THE THREE SHIFT SYSTEM

Full-day duty (from morning to the next morning)

Off duty (the day following the full-day duty)

Day-duty (from morning to evening)
Activities as “Community Safety
Centers”
Vigilance at Police Box
 Patrol
 “Routine Visits” to Homes and Work Places

Handling of Lost Articles
 Publication of Information Pamphlets

Important Role of Patrol and
Police Questioning
Community Police Officers arrested
269,501 (77.5%)
of the total of arrested for Penal Code Offences

•
For serious offences (murder, armed robbery, etc),
Community Police Officers arrested 2,620 (33.9%)
of the total.
(in 2002)
Improving the Koban’s Ability as
“Community Safety Centers”

Koban Chief System and Bloc Operation of Koban

Assignment of Koban Consultants (Retired Police
Officers)

“Koban and Chuzaisho Liaison Councils”
13,644 liaison councils (in 2002)

Improvements in Facilities and Equipment of Police Boxes
(Community Room, Hot-Line telephone to police station)
CONSULTATION SERVICE FOR
COMMUNITY RESIDENTS
“Police Security Consultation”
1,058,772 (in 2002)
EFFORTS IN PROTECTING
WOMEN AND CHILDREN
For example ;
intensive patrol
meetings
“Children’s 110 House”
Stalking, Child Abuse, Domestic Violence
The Law to Control Stalking (May 2000)
The Law to Prevent Child Abuse
(October 2000)
The Law to Prevent Domestic Violence
(April 2001)
Finding and Protecting
Runaways, Missing People, etc.

197,648 into protective custody (2002)
for drunks, lost children and others required
emergency protection

Runaways:
102,880 search requests & 92,205 found (2002)
EMERGENCY CALL “DIAL 110”
Communications Command Center
Police Boxes
Patrol Cars
average Response Time : 7 minutes 2 seconds
Promoting Safe Communities
Through Environmental Design
Coordination with Local Governments
CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design)
Countermeasures against “Street Crime”

The remarkable increase of “Street Crime”

“Street Crime Prevention/Repression Plan”
since 2003
“COMMUNITY SAFETY
ACTIVITIES”
Partnership among Various Actors such as;
Crime Prevention Associations
Nonprofit Organizations (NPOs)
Community Residents
Police
Local Governments
etc.
Examples of Activities







Publishing “Community Safety News”
Patrolling
Video Surveillance Systems
Children’s 110 House
Distributing Potable Buzzers
Crime Maps (on the internet )
Guideline concerning Crime Prevention in
Collective Housing
“JUVENILE SUPPORT CENTER”
“Juvenile Support Center”
in cooperation with the local community
(schools, parents, volunteers, local governments,etc)
Preventing Drug Abuse by Juveniles

Classes for prevention of drug abuse(2002)
by police officers in school
3,015 (55.1% of total) senior high schools
5,432 (48.7% of total) junior high schools
Cleansing the Community Environment
Prostitution by using potable phones
Prostitution by using Internet
-New Law to prevent them (2002)
Magazines, videotapes, computer software
“Karaoke-boxes”
the influence of Yakuza
Juveniles’ Participation in Social
and Sports Activities

Classes (Judo and Kendo) at police stations
51,000 juveniles at 800 police
stations(2002)
Private Security (Security Business)

The number of security companies 9,463

The number of security guards 436,810
(2002)
Conclusion
The Important Role of Community

Partnership among Various Actors

Cooperation of Community

Autonomy of Community Residents