FUKUOKA (TR) – Fukuoka Prefectural Police have arrested an officer who fled an illicit photography accusation by jumping onto rail tracks at a station in Kitakyushu City last month, reports the Nikkan Sports (Dec. 22).
At around 6:30 a.m. on November 28, the officer, aged in his 30s, took tosatsu, or voyeur, images of a woman, aged in her 50s, inside a carriage of the Kagoshima Main Line bound for Kokura Station.
Upon the train’s arrival at Space World Station, located in Yahatahigashi Ward, the woman apprehended the suspect. However, he jumped from a station platform onto railway tracks below and running over a distance of 1 kilometer in escaping.
Train services were delayed in both directions of the Kagoshima Main Line in both directions for up to 20 minutes due to the incident, according to JR Kyushu.
The suspect is a sergeant at a station in Kitakyushu City. Several days after the incident, the suspect admitted to committing the crime to his boss. “I became interested in tosatsu internet sites beginning at the end of last year,” the suspect said. “I’ve done the same thing 10 or more times.”
The sergeant was suspended from duty for a three-month period and sent to prosecutors on suspicion of violating a public nuisance ordinance on December 21.
Large number of other officers have faced discipline in 2017
The incident is one of many scandals involving officers from Fukuoka Prefectural Police this year. Thus far, 21 officers have faced discipline over a variety of infractions and crimes. The figure is the highest over the past 10 years, police said.
In February, an officer received a pay reduction after he caused a disturbance at the wedding reception for a woman with whom he was engaged in an extra-marital affair. In July, a sergeant was dismissed from duty for killing his wife at their residence in Ogori City. That same month, an assistant inspector was arrested for possession of marijuana.
