A Problematic Section Chief

September 25th, Sunday.

Shiraishi took part in grappling techniques training again, and once more came up with the "paid vacation towel" trial...

However...

Before long, this batch of officers began questioning their lives!

They desperately wanted to ask how that legendary young patrol officer from yesterday had succeeded.

Could it be that the chief went easy on female officers?

But there were even more female officers in this group!

Because the Traffic Division patrol officers were mostly here today!

Yet they were still getting tossed around everywhere!

Traffic Division resentment +1...

After the training...

"The chief really knows his stuff. If it were me, even if I could beat those brats up, I couldn't make them genuinely realize the necessity of arrest techniques like this. They'd only think they simply couldn't beat me." Murasaki privately remarked to Shiraishi.

"This is a clumsy method too. It doesn't solve the actual problem at all," Shiraishi said modestly.

That was right. This was the "clumsy method" Shiraishi had thought of: relying on his overwhelming combat ability to provide precise and sufficient positive feedback whenever the officers used arrest techniques, thereby properly motivating them to learn and use those techniques!

At least when facing Chief Shiraishi, everyone discovered...

Even if they could not beat him no matter what, using standard defensive techniques was indeed far more effective than recklessly trying to overwhelm him with wild punches.

Though this still relied on individual ability, at least it had proven effective for training.

But the fundamental problem—insufficient training time, or rather, insufficient manpower—had not changed at all.

"The chief has done plenty already. It's only your first week in office, and you've already worked a 'full attendance' schedule," Murasaki teased.

This "full attendance," of course, did not mean never being absent. It meant working all seven days of the week without a day off!

"I'm taking leave soon, I'm taking leave soon. I can even rest for half a day," Shiraishi said with feeling. He had long since grown accustomed to "full attendance"; he often worked like this at the Metropolitan Police Department as well.

Afterward, Shiraishi showered at the station and changed into his everyday clothes. Just as he was about to leave, he happened to see Section Chief Shirai of the Criminal Affairs Division.

At that moment, Shiraishi recalled Shirai's attributes and could not quite let the matter go, so he called out to him. "Inspector Shirai."

"Hm? Chief." Hearing him, Shirai turned around and greeted Shiraishi. At the same time, he sighed. "Chief, you were truly impressive just now."

Shirai had come in for training on his day off as well...

However, Shirai was already fifty-six years old. Naturally, he had not tried too hard to compete with Shiraishi during training!

"Inspector Shirai, you only came to Beika Police Station three months ago too, right? Come on, the two of us were transferred out from headquarters. Let's get a drink." Shiraishi invited him directly.

If he invited younger officers, they would feel constrained by his status as chief. Even if they did not refuse, they would find it awkward. But...

Three months ago, Shirai had been an inspector at the Metropolitan Police Department just like Shiraishi. Moreover, Shirai had been a section chief in the First Investigation Division. His age and seniority spoke for themselves, and someone his age was thoroughly accustomed to going out for drinks after work, so he accepted openly and without hesitation.

Of course, Shiraishi was not asking him out merely so that "transferred personnel could lick each other's wounds." He had doubts about Shirai's condition!

Shirai Jo (Section Chief of Beika Police Criminal Affairs Division):

Age: 56.

Overall Rating: SR(X)

Mind: Justice (81), Principles (37), Gentleness (39), Subjectivity (77), Passion (65), Resilience (70).

Body: Health, Stress, Aging...

Skills: Interrogation (SR[X]), Evidence Gathering (SR), Deduction (R)...

Potential: All attributes are difficult to improve; interrogation skills half-sealed.

Shirai Jo was precisely the "half" among the station's "four and a half" SRs.

Although Shiraishi did not yet fully understand the meaning of these attributes, Inspector Shirai visibly had "a problem"!

While his [Justice] was off the charts, his [Principles] were quite low, and there was also that "sealed" [Interrogation] ability...

After meeting Shirai for the first time two days ago, Shiraishi had called Iwata from the Police Affairs Department Document Section and asked him to look into the matter!

Sure enough, this former section chief of the First Investigation Division's Sixth Section had performed poorly for the past several years. Moreover, in a case half a year ago, his interrogation procedures had been improper. Although no actual wrongful conviction had resulted, and the Metropolitan Police Department files contained no detailed record, clues could be seen from his subsequent transfer...

This former First Investigation Division elite had been sent down to Beika Police Station as a section chief three months ago—a lateral transfer.

With that, even though nothing had been written in the files, Shiraishi could roughly guess what the problem was!

Though Shiraishi had not been familiar with the First Investigation Division's Sixth Section before, he had met Shirai and knew that he had once been an elite of the First Investigation Division... Otherwise, he would never have become the Sixth Section's chief, holding the same rank as Inspector Megure.

In the First Investigation Division, the First and Second Sections handled desk work. From the Third Section onward, every officer was an elite, and the section chiefs were the true backbone of frontline operations.

Over the previous twenty years, Shirai had solved countless major cases. He had been especially skilled at "interrogation," but not anymore...

Because interrogation rooms now had surveillance cameras!

Shiraishi could understand that. After all, technology and criminal investigation methods had been limited in the past, so people could not be judged entirely by current standards. Otherwise, the case-solving rate would have been far too low.

Of course, Shiraishi supported progress.

And Shiraishi understood that progress often did not mean advancing together with everyone. It meant ruthlessly crushing every remnant of the old era that could not adapt, in order to achieve that progress.

Thus, this former First Investigation Division mainstay had become increasingly unable to adapt, until he was finally transferred to a local police station as the Criminal Affairs Division's section chief...

For an old man with only a few years left before retirement, that was not necessarily bad. But... his physical condition also included "stress."

If Shiraishi's guess was correct, Shirai himself should have been dissatisfied with his present situation. He might even have considered it an insult, making him all the more eager to produce results!

"Young officers these days are getting harder and harder to manage. If you speak too harshly, you might even be suspected of abusing your authority..."

"But we still have to keep up with the times! Technology has advanced, and solving cases is much easier than before."

"Brother Shirai, I see your grandson has already been born, right?"

"Hahaha, is your grandson afraid of you too? So don't keep such a stern face all the time! You look far too fierce!"

"Don't stay so busy all the time either. Spend more time with your grandson, give the young people some opportunities. If the Criminal Affairs Division has any difficulties, you can tell me..."

Taking advantage of their pleasant buzz, Shiraishi built rapport with Shirai. More importantly...

He indirectly conveyed the importance of [Principles] to him and helped him release some of that pressure, lest he cause trouble later!

In that state, especially while holding the position of Criminal Affairs Division section chief, Shiraishi truly could not feel at ease.

Shiraishi complained inwardly as well. Why transfer someone in this situation to a local police station? Couldn't they find him some idle department and send him to sit in an office? Those bastards at the Metropolitan Police Department!

But...

The man was already under immense pressure, and he had not made any mistakes at Beika Police Station. Shiraishi could not directly transfer him away either; otherwise, he feared Shirai's mentality might collapse on the spot.

Shiraishi drank with Shirai all afternoon...

Although Shiraishi was very young, the two had both only recently been transferred down from the Metropolitan Police Department, and Shiraishi's communication skills were excellent. They had a thoroughly pleasant conversation.

And when they parted ways, Shiraishi discovered that Shirai's [Principles] had risen to 39—two points higher than before!

Sure enough, these values could change!

It seems giving more lectures regularly is necessary... Even if the effect isn't as great as one-on-one conversations, it will still influence them gradually. Shiraishi silently added to his own workload.

Having discovered a way to guide and improve [Mind] attributes, Shiraishi finally felt somewhat relieved.

But Shiraishi had relaxed too soon!

During Shiraishi's second week in office, a bolt from the blue forced the station's upper management to convene an emergency meeting!