Niigata Prefectural Police on Thursday sent prosecutors papers on eight serving and three retired officers on suspicion they erased computer records on speeding offenses by police officers and an officer's acquaintance.
According to the police, the eight serving officers deleted records of speed violations committed by 21 officers between August 1997 and January 2000, while the three retired officers erased the speeding record of a 42-year-old man in September last year.
Noboru Kasahara, a 55-year-old emergency calls section chief who is among the eight, was quoted by police as saying he "covered up any speeding by a police officer, whether he or she requested it or not."
On the same day, Niigata police announced punitive measures, including pay cuts and suspensions, for 55 serving officers in connection with the coverup.
"I would like to offer once again an apology to the prefectural residents," Niigata police chief Fumitaka Horiuchi said.
Setsuo Tanaka, head of the National Police Agency, said at a news conference Thursday that his agency is taking the Niigata coverup seriously. He promised to look into the case to determine why it happened.