7 Kanagawa Police Officers Referred to Prosecutors

Yokohama, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)--Seven officers of the Kanagawa prefectural police department were referred to prosecutors on Friday for allegedly falsifying traffic violation tickets and related investigation reports.

The police department of Kanagawa, south of Tokyo, will cancel some 2,700 traffic violation cases that are believed to be based on falsified documents. The police will refund a total of 35 million yen paid in fines for the violations.

According to the prefectural police, the seven served in the same squad, and a veteran sergeant was at the center of the misconduct. The remaining six were unable to point out the problem, and falsifying such paperwork became routine.

"We deeply apologize for undermining public trust in our traffic enforcement," Tsuyoshi Imamura, chief of the prefectural police, said at a press conference.

The prefectural police dismissed the sergeant. Five of the seven officers and two former superiors received disciplinary measures including suspension and pay reductions.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]