On October 11, the Kazuno Police Department issued a letter of promotion to the rank of “Senior Police Officer” to Umeko, an Akita dog appointed as an “Akita Dog Prefectural Police Officer” this year. Immediately after taking on the job, Umeko helped promote fraud prevention at banks and other financial institutions.
Umeko, a fourteen-month-old female, is the signature dog of the Liquor Shop Takahashi. The store is run by her owner Mrs. Takahashi Nobue, a resident of Kosaka Town, Akita. Earlier this year, Mrs. Takahashi posted a video on Twitter in which Umeko acted like a cashier reaching for the cash register and seemingly trying to tap it. The video went viral on the internet and attracted a lot of attention. In May, the local police station noticed Umeko’s prominent reputation and appointed her as an “Akita Dog Prefectural Police Officer.” Since her appointment, Umeko has been involved in many activities, such as patrolling elementary schools, participating in events calling for preventive measures against fraud, and other promotional activities via Twitter. Given her contribution to enhancing crime prevention awareness among residents, the Kazuno Police Department decided to promote Umeko to the higher rank of “Senior Police Officer.”
The Kazuno Police Department held the National Community Safety Campaign from October 11 – 20. During the opening ceremony, Chief Mr. Tsunoda Susumu rewarded the letter of promotion to Umeko. Chief Tsunoda congratulated Umeko on her promotion and called on her continuation to fight fraud and work together for community safety. Mrs. Takahashi was there and expressed her wish, “I hope Umeko helps brighten the community where people in the region can build strong relationships and feel comfortable to discuss their problems, and if needed, with the support of the police.”
