Japanese police also stand outside their police box or station with a big stick doing "ritsuban" i.e. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/03/20/reference/poli

Japanese police also stand outside their police box or station with a big stick doing "ritsuban" i.e. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/03/20/reference/police-who-stand-with-big-sticks http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/03/20/reference/police... which is I suppose the opposite of a motorised patrol where you stand still and the community moves around you whilst you project "the police are watching you". This for me now makes sense of the same practice at airports where there is a guy on a platform with a big stick, just being there, a bit intimidating.