Senior policeman reprimanded for losing handbook ID

YAMAGUCHI -- A senior policeman has been reprimanded for losing his police handbook, which serves as his identification, at the end of last year, police said.

The announcement came on Monday after news organizations pointed out that Yamaguchi Prefectural Police had not disclosed that the policeman was reprimanded in May.

According to police, a senior policeman in his 30s at the Yamaguchi Prefectural Police's Chofu Police Station realized that he had lost his police handbook and reported it to his superior on Dec. 18 last year.

The senior policeman was quoted as telling police that he remembers having had the handbook in a pocket of his jacket until early December, but he doesn't remember when and where he lost the item because he failed to check on his belongings every day as all policemen are required to do.

"I thought my police handbook was inside my office desk, but it wasn't. I don't recall what happened (when I lost the handbook) and have no idea about the details."

Prefectural police issued an order to police forces across the nation on Dec. 21 to search for the handbook, but it has not been found yet.

A prefectural police representative said in a statement, "We will once again instruct all employees on the management of their police handbooks in order to prevent a recurrence."

警察手帳：山口県警長府署の巡査長が昨年１２月に紛失

　山口県警長府署地域課の３０代の男性巡査長が昨年１２月、警察手帳を紛失していたことが分かった。巡査長は今年５月、本部長訓戒処分を受けたが、県警は公表していなかった。報道機関の指摘を受け３０日発表した。

　県警監察官室によると、巡査長は昨年１２月１８日、紛失に気付き上司に報告した。同月上旬には上着のポケットに入れていたが、毎日行うべき携帯品のチェックを怠っており、紛失時の状況について記憶がないという。県警は同月２１日、全国に手配したが、現在も見つかっていない。

　巡査長は「職場の机の中にあると思ったがなかった。当時の記憶はなく詳細は分からない」と話しているという。

　藤井文雄・監察官室長は「全職員に改めて警察手帳の保管・管理について指導し、再発防止の徹底を図る」とのコメントを発表した。【藤沢美由紀】

Mainichi Newspaper

July 1, 2008