Recently, the National Police Agency (NPA) in Japan addressed the issue of inappropriate traffic law enforcement by the Kanagawa prefectural police. As part of measures to prevent reoccurrence, the NPA instructed police forces across the country on January 20 to respond to requests from individuals ticketed for traffic violations to review footage from their vehicle’s drive recorders. This directive aims to improve accountability and transparency in traffic law enforcement.

The background of this initiative stems from reports that Kanagawa police had allegedly falsified details on traffic violation notices, commonly known as blue tickets. The NPA highlighted a lack of fundamental awareness of appropriate law enforcement procedures among officers. The newly introduced measures not only stress the importance of adhering to proper enforcement practices but also encourage police departments nationwide to deploy methods that allow for objective verification of traffic stops.

Among the proposed strategies is the use of cameras to document enforcement activities, saving dashcam footage from police vehicles when motorists contest violations, and research into AI technologies for measuring speed violations. These steps are seen as vital in restoring public trust and ensuring fair treatment of all road users in the law enforcement process.