## 2 Prefectural Public Safety Commission (PPSC)

Prefectural Public Safety Commissions supervise the prefectural police by undertaking many administrative tasks in relation to citizens' lives such as issuing driver's licenses, regulating traffic, awarding benefit payments to victims of crime, supervision of various types of business such as antique dealing, and by receiving reports from Chiefs of Police at regular meetings and other assemblies and giving guidance on incidents and accidents occurring within the jurisdiction, incidence of disasters and subsequent efforts made by the police, the state of public safety and the various police policies implemented in view of the state of public safety, organizational status, personnel management, etc.

PPSCs generally convene three or four regular meetings a month and also strive to maintain an understanding of the state of public safety and police operations through participation in Police Station Councils, discussions with relevant organizations such as the board of education, and on-site inspections of police activities, etc.

Case: In February 2012, the Gunma PPSC held a meeting for an exchange of views with the members of Gunma Prefecture Board of Education under the theme of “Juvenile Delinquency, Safety Measures” to discuss the current state of juvenile delinquency and future measures.

Members of the Gunma PPSC engaged in an exchange of views with members of the Board of Education ( $ 2^{nd} $ row from right)

Case: In March 2012, an examination was conducted regarding police responses by Chiba, Nagasaki and Mie Prefectural Police in relation to a murder case occurring in Saikai, Nagasaki prefecture. The report on the examination results stated that items related to a recreational excursion by the Narashino Police Station had been omitted.

Under the strict supervision of the Chiba PPSC, the Chiba Prefectural Police organized a structure consisting mainly of the Inspection Department, headed by the Director General of Police Administration, and undertook a re-examination. Furthermore, the NPSC also issued a request to the Chiba PPSC for a thorough inspection of the investigation.

For the re-examination, the Chiba PPSC convened a total of seven meetings, including four extraordinary meetings, and undertook strict inspection and guidance, demanding reports on investigation status, etc. as required. The results of the re-examination revealed that the recreational excursion was considered to have affected the police response, and in addition, as an issue from the perspective of the organizational operation of Chiba Prefectural Police, it became clear that organizational management by senior officers was inadequate, that they lacked the ability to consider the case from the viewpoint of the victims and citizens, and that the “spirit of police reformation” was not thorough. Consequently, Chiba Prefectural Police were determined to review effective policies and other matters in relation to these points and report the results of this review to the Chiba PPSC. Following inspection by the Chiba PPSC, these were prepared as guidelines and subsequently implemented.

## 3 Mutual Communications between Public Safety Commissions

The NPSC and all PPSCs hold various liaison conferences in order to maintain constant close communications. During 2011, two liaison meetings between the NPSC and all PPSCs nationwide were held, in which PPSC members conducted exchanges of views concerning the status of police supervision and other matters.

Additionally, during 2011, in each Regional Police Bureau and in Hokkaido, a total of thirteen liaison meetings were held between jurisdictional public safety commissions, and between the Hokkaido Public Safety Commission and the Area Public Safety Commission of Hokkaido. Members of the NPSC also attended these meetings which involved reports concerning the state of public safety and the efforts of each prefecture, and exchange of views.

Furthermore, exchanges of views between PPSCs and liaison meetings between the PPSCs of the designated prefectures including Tokyo, Hokkaido, Kyoto, and Osaka were also held.