1. 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

2. 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

3. Public Safety Commission
National Public Safety Commission
controls National Police Agency
Prefectural Public Safety Commission
controls Prefectural Police

4. 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.

5. COMMUNITY POLICE
Patrol Police, Outside Duty Police ↓ since Community Police

6. 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

7. KOBAN & CHUZAISHO as “COMMUNITY SAFETY CENTERS”
14,438 KOBANS & CHUZAISHOS
6,556 KOBANS
7,882 CHUZAISHOS

8. 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)

9. 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

10. 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)

11. 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)

12. CONSULTATION SERVICE FOR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS
“Police Security Consultation”
1,058,772 (in 2002)

13. EFFORTS IN PROTECTING WOMEN AND CHILDREN
For example ;
intensive patrol
meetings
“Children’s 110 House”

14. 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)

15. 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)

16. EMERGENCY CALL “DIAL 110” Communications Command Center
Police Boxes Patrol Cars
average Response Time : 7 minutes 2 seconds

17. Promoting Safe Communities Through Environmental Design
Coordination with Local Governments
CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design)

18. Countermeasures against “Street Crime”
The remarkable increase of “Street Crime”
“Street Crime Prevention/Repression Plan”
since 2003

19. “COMMUNITY SAFETY ACTIVITIES”
Partnership among Various Actors such as;
Crime Prevention Associations
Nonprofit Organizations (NPOs)
Community Residents
Police
Local Governments etc.

20. 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

21. “JUVENILE SUPPORT CENTER”
in cooperation with the local community
(schools, parents, volunteers, local governments,etc)

22. 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

23. 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

24. Juveniles’ Participation in Social and Sports Activities
Classes (Judo and Kendo) at police stations
51,000 juveniles at 800 police stations(2002)

25. Private Security (Security Business)
The number of security companies 9,463
The number of security guards 436,810
(2002)

26. Conclusion The Important Role of Community
Partnership among Various Actors
Cooperation of Community
Autonomy of Community Residents