Kanagawa Police to Revoke 2,700 Traffic Violations

Yokohama, Feb. 14 (Jiji Press)–The prefectural police department of Kanagawa, south of Tokyo, is set to cancel about 2,700 traffic violations that are believed to have been based on documents allegedly falsified by some officers, investigative sources said Saturday. The police department plans to refer the officers in question, including a sergeant, to prosecutors shortly on suspicion of falsifying official documents and using them to enforce traffic violations. The department also plans to refund a total of some 35 million yen paid in fines for the 2,700 violations, after voiding cases that are not confirmed to be valid. According to sources close to the investigation, the officers are suspected of having recorded false figures about the distance at which they tracked violating vehicles in 2022-2024 when cracking down on speeding and tailgating. They are also suspected of creating false inspection reports by using online and other maps without conducting spot inspections. A consultation from a person ticketed for a traffic violation in 2024 led to an investigation, uncovering improper enforcement. The prefectural police are reviewing dashcam footage and other evidence related to traffic violations handled by the officers. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]