Hoping to draw in more applicants, the Metropolitan Police Department held a recruitment event on Saturday in Tokyo’s Minato Ward that included a police sketch demonstration.
The event attracted 577 participants, including high school and college students, introducing job types and detailing experiences from active police officers and administrative officials.
Officers from about 50 different sections such as the Criminal Investigation Bureau and the Traffic Bureau joined the recruitment session. In the first half of the event, officers in their uniforms from the riot police unit and patrol unit talked about their jobs and how they spend their days off.
The communication command center, which is in charge of handling emergency 110 calls, also demonstrated what happens when someone places such a call.
In the second half of the event, officers took questions from participants, with some students asking questions about skills needed for the job and the number of days off they get.
The forensic section held a demonstration of drawing a sketch based on information from witness accounts, while participants also had a chance to try on uniforms from the motorcycle unit and riot police unit.
A 16-year-old first-year high school student who wants to become a police officer — thanks to a love of police TV dramas — said "It was a great opportunity to learn about the job and how they work."
"You don't need special skills or abilities to join the Metropolitan Police Department. We really welcome individuals with high motivation,” said Toshihiro Motohashi, who is in charge of recruitment.
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