Retired police officers are being commissioned to work at koban (police boxes) as counselors to local residents under a system that has taken root in the communities being served. The system was initiated four years ago with the objective of providing better services from koban, which are the basis for maintaining public safety at the community level. Favorable reaction from local residents is now prompting the National Police Agency to expand the system.
Koban System Draws Foreign Notice
In Japan, the police station in every precinct has under its jurisdiction a number of neighborhood koban where police officers work in shifts around the clock, and, in rural areas,chuzaisho, where a police officer resides with his family. There are a total of 15,000 such police outstations around the country, with every neighborhood coming under the jurisdiction of either a koban or a chuzaisho.
The duties of koban and chuzaisho officers include patrolling their neighborhoods to prevent crime and arrest offenders, directing and regulating traffic, handling accidents and other incidents, giving street directions, and listening to the problems of local residents. In this way they play an important role in ensuring the day-to-day safety of the area. This unique system is drawing attention in other countries that are troubled by public safety problems.
700 Ex-police Officers Employed Nationwide
When the officers on duty at koban go out on patrol or to deal with accidents or other incidents, however, their koban are sometimes left unmanned. Their absence is partly covered by other police officers who stop by while on patrol. Nevertheless, the National Police Agency, seeing a need to improve police box services, launched the police box counselor system in 1992.
Retired police officers are commissioned to work as out-of-uniform counselors at police boxes located near their homes or where they have prior experience. The majority of queries received by counselors at police boxes concern street directions, lost property, and complaints from local residents. Counselors also respond to accidents and other incidents. The system began with about 40 counselors employed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, a figure has now grown to around 100; nationwide, more than 700 retired police officers are serving as koban counselors.
Local Residents Welcome System
One counselor who spent his career as a police detective investigating thefts and other crimes has been working at a koban near a Japan Railways station in a Tokyo suburb since the spring of 1993. In one day he handles a minimum of 150 queries about lost property, street directions and other matters. The police box counselor system has been welcomed by local residents, who are relieved that police boxes are no longer left empty and feel that they can trust retired, experienced police officers..
(The above article, edited by Japan Echo Inc., is based on domestic Japanese news sources. It is offered for reference purposes and does not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese Government.)