National police force in Italy
Law enforcement agency
State Police
Polizia di Stato
|
---|
Coat of Arms
|
Flag
|
Common name
| Polizia
|
---|
Abbreviation
| P.S.
|
---|
Motto
| Sub lege libertas
"Freedom under the law"
|
---|
|
Formed
| 11 July, 1852
|
---|
Employees
| 107,000 (2019)
|
---|
Annual budget
| €6.6 billion (2019)
|
---|
|
National agency
| Italy
|
---|
Operations jurisdiction
| Italy
|
---|
General nature
| |
---|
|
Overseen by Department
| Ministry of the Interior
|
---|
Headquarters
| Rome
,
Viminal Palace
|
---|
Sworn members
| 104,000+
|
---|
Civilians
| 6,000-
|
---|
Agency executive
| - Vittorio Pisani, Chief of the Police, Prefect
|
---|
Child agencies
| |
---|
|
poliziadistato.it
|
The
Polizia di Stato
(
State Police
or P.S.) is one of the national
police forces of Italy
. Alongside the
Carabinieri
, it is the main police force for providing police duties, primarily to cities and large towns, and with its child agencies it is also responsible for highway patrol (
autostrade
), railways (
ferrovie
), airports (
aeroporti
), customs (together with the
Guardia di Finanza
) as well as certain waterways, and assisting the local police forces.
It was a
military force
until 1981 when the Italian State Law 121 was passed. This converted the State Police to a civil force,
[1]
which is in contrast to the other main police forces of Italy: the
Arma dei Carabinieri
, which is a
military police
(
gendarmerie
) force
[2]
[3]
and the
Guardia di Finanza
, the Italian customs and border protection police that also falls in the military corps category.
[4]
The
Polizia di Stato
is the principal Italian police force for the maintenance of public security and as such it is run directly from the
Dipartimento della Pubblica Sicurezza
(Department of Public Security), and the keeping of public order (
ordine pubblico
).
Interpol
summarizes the primary focus of this force: "Its responsibilities include investigative and law enforcement duties, and the security of motorway, railway, and waterway networks".
[5]
History
[
edit
]
While the modern Polizia di Stato was created in 1981 with the merger of the many civil police services of Italy, its roots date back to 1852 as the police force of the then
Kingdom of Sardinia
.
It is successor and heir to the traditions of military and civil police organizations under both monarchy and republic.
Before unification
[
edit
]
On 11 July 1852, the King of Sardinia
Victor Emmanuel II
established the Public Security Guards, a prototype city police service created to serve Turin and Genoa for the protection of their citizens (Law no.1404), and also formed detachments of municipal police. This date is marked as the official anniversary of the State Police.
At that time there were a number of provincial National Guard and Municipal Militia battalions, plus cavalry platoons detached from the army and Carabinieri.
Unified Italy
[
edit
]
In 1859, given the current situation in regards to the
Unification of Italy
, the Public Security Guards became the de facto national civil police of a unified Italian nation. Law 3570 (13 November 1859) officially introduced police inspectors into the growing force, and to ensure the security of the residents of a number of provincial capitals and other major cities, the
questori
, appointed by the leadership with Royal assent, were also introduced becoming the police chiefs of these areas.
On 9 October 1861, the General Directorate of Public Security of the Kingdom was formally established (Royal Decree 225) to serve as the central authority for civilian law enforcement.
Mission
[
edit
]
Europol
(the EU's law enforcement agency), provides this summary of the force's responsibilities: "protecting the state, safeguarding the rights and freedoms of citizens, supervising the maintenance of public order, maintaining public safety, providing assistance to public entities and private in the event of accidents and disasters as well as the peaceful resolution of disputes between private individuals. It also deals with the training and education, at its facilities, of members of other police bodies ... speciality departments include the Traffic, Railway, Communications Police, the Mobile Departments and the Scientific Police".
[6]
Strength
[
edit
]
The State Police has an authorised strength by law of 115,000 people. However, there are approximately 110,000 people of which 16,000 are women. Just under 6,000 employees are civilian support personnel with technical skills who provide logistic and technical support. In 2005 the State Police contained 105,324 members as follows: 893
dirigenti
(leaders/officers), 1,839
vice questori
(Vice-Questors), 723
commissari capo
(Chief Superintendents), 19,230
ispettori
(Inspectors), 666
vice ispettori
(Sub-inspectors), 13,677
sovrintendenti
(Sergeants), 38,976
assistenti
(Senior agents), and 29,320
agenti
(Constables/Agents).
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]
Approximately 1,500 officers are assigned to the "neighbourhood police" service, the
Polizia di Quartiere
, which has a police presence on the streets and deters crime. Pairs of
poliziotti
(policemen) patrol areas of major cities on foot.
Organization
[
edit
]
The headquarters of the
Polizia di Stato
are in
Rome
and its chief is referred to as the
Capo della Polizia
(
Chief of the Police
) with official Rank of
Capo della Polizia ? Direttore Generale della Pubblica Sicurezza
(
Chief of the Police ? Director General of Public Security
). The Chief of the State Police is also the Honorary President of the
National Association of State Police
(
Associazione Nazionale della Polizia di Stato
). Three vice chiefs/directors-general report to the chief and their main functions are:
- accomplishment of the functions
[
clarification needed
]
- planning and coordination activity
- Director of the Criminal Investigation Police
The force is organized on a regional and provincial basis.
[11]
The territory of the Italian Republic is divided into 20 regions. They include 107 provincial commands ? one each in the 14 metropolitan cities (
citta metropolitane
), 80 provinces (
province
), 6 free municipal consortiums (
liberi consorzi comunali
, the formal provinces of
Sicily
), 4 abolished
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
provinces, 2 autonomous provinces ?
Bolzano ? Alto Adige
and
Trento
and 1 in Valle d'Aosta, which is an autonomous region with no provinces nor akin administrative subdivision at all. The administrative centre of each provincial command is the local headquarters, called
Questura
which is commanded by a
Questore
(that is also the highest State Police authority for the province ?
Autorita Provinciale di Pubblica Sicurezza
?
Provincial Authority of Public Security
). The only exception is the recently created province of South Sardinia (established in and operational since 2016). The territory of each province is further divided into Public Security Offices (
Commissariati di Pubblica Sicurezza
), commanded by a
Vice Questore Aggiunto
or
Commissario Capo
(
Chief Commissioner
). The lowest public security authority is the police station or precinct (
Stazione di polizia
).
Headquarters organization
[
edit
]
Main Offices, Divisions and Specialties of the State Police (
Uffici, Reparti e Specialita della Polizia di Stato
):
- State Police Band (
Banda Musicale della Polizia di Stato
)
- Data processing and computer center (
Centro Elaborazione Dati
)
- Interregional and Regional Collection Centers (
Centri Raccolta Ragionale ed Interregionale
)
- Central Directorate for the Criminal Police (
Direzione centrale della polizia criminale
)
- Central Anticrime Directorate (
Direzione centrale anticrimine
)
- Central Directorate for the Anti-Terrorism Police (
Direzione centrale della polizia di prevenzione
)
- Central Direction for the Instruction Institutes (
Direzione Centrale per gli Istituti d'Istruzione
)
- General Inspectorate of Public Security for Civil Aviation and Ministry of Transportation (
Ispettorato Generale di Pubblica Sicurezza preso il Ministero dei Trasporti e dell'Aviazione Civile
)
- General Inspectorate of Public Security for Ministry of the Economic Development (
Ispettorato Generale di Pubblica Sicurezza preso il Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico
)
- General Inspectorate of Public Security for Ministry of Labor and the Social Politics (
Ispettorato Generale di Pubblica Sicurezza presso il Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali
)
- General Inspectorate of Public Security for Palace of the
Viminale
(
Ispettorato Generale di Pubblica Sicurezza presso il Palazzo del Viminale
) The Viminale is the headquarters of the Italian Ministry of Interior;
- General Inspectorate of Public Security for the Senate of the Republic (
Ispettorato Generale di Pubblica Sicurezza presso il Senato della Repubblica
)
- General Inspectorate of Public Security for the Chamber of the Deputies (
Ispettorato Generale di Pubblica Sicurezza presso la Camera dei Deputati
)
- General Inspectorate of Public Security for the
Vatican City
(
Ispettorato Generale di Pubblica Sicurezza presso la Citta del Vaticano
)
- General Inspectorate of Public Security for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (
Ispettorato Generale di Pubblica Sicurezza presso la Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri
)
- General Inspectorate of Public Security for the Presidency of the Republic (
Ispettorato Generale di Pubblica Sicurezza presso la Presidenza della Repubblica
)
- Central Operational Core of Security (
Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza ? N.O.C.S.
)
- Gaming and Betting police (
Polizia dei Giochi e delle Scommesse
)
- Alpine Aid (
Soccorso Alpino
)
- Postal and Communications Police (
Polizia Postale e delle Comunicazioni
)
- Immigration and Border Police (
Polizia dell'Immigrazione e delle Frontiere
)
- Air Border Police (
Polizia di Frontiera Aerea
)
- Maritime Police (
Polizia Marittima
)
- Railway Police (
Polizia Ferroviaria
)
- Scientific Police (
Polizia Scientifica
)
- Highway Police (
Polizia Stradale
)
- Police Mobile Units
(
Reparti Mobili
)
- Mounted Divisions (
Reparti a cavallo
)
- Artificers Units (
Unita Artificieri
)
- K-9 Units (
Unita Cinofili
)
- Superior School of Police (
Scuola Superiore di Polizia
)
- Police Air Command (
Reparti Volo
)
- Medical Service (
Servizio Sanitario
)
- Gold Flames (
Fiamme Oro
)
Interregional organization
[
edit
]
The Interregional Directorates (
Direzioni Interregionali
), organized since 2007, are:
Questure
[
edit
]
There is a
Questura
in each of the 105 Italian provincial capitals. It is responsible for all the activities carried out by the Polizia di Stato within the province.
Commissariati di Pubblica Sicurezza
[
edit
]
In major cities and highly populated towns, there are police stations named
Commissariati di Pubblica Sicurezza
(
Public Security Offices
). Each
Commissariato di Pubblica Sicurezza
is under the Authority of a
Questura
. Their task is to control, prevent and fight crime in their jurisdiction, and to deal with paperwork as to, among other things, requests for gun licences, passports, permits, and regularization of foreigners.
Polizia di Quartiere
is the
Quarter Police
. Pairs of
Poliziotti
(Policemen) patrol areas of major cities on foot.
Special operations
[
edit
]
About 24,000 officers, that is almost a quarter of police personnel, work within the Highway Patrol (
Polizia Stradale
), Railroad Police (
Polizia Ferroviaria
), Postal and Telecommunications Police (
Polizia Postale e delle Telecomunicazioni
) and Border and Immigration Police (
Polizia di Frontiera
).
Highway patrol
[
edit
]
The
Polizia Stradale
, or
PolStrada
for short, is a
highway patrol
organization. PolStrada police public roads all over the country, including the7,000 kilometres (4,300 mi) of motorways (
autostrada
), the main highways and arterial roads outside towns. Their duties are the prevention and detection of driving offences, car accident reports, planning and carrying out of services to regulate traffic, providing escorts for road safety, protection and control of the road network, rescue operations and cooperation in the collection of traffic flow data.
Railway Police
[
edit
]
The
Polizia Ferroviaria
, or
PolFer
for short, ensure the security of travellers and their belongings on trains and at stations plus the safety and control of dangerous goods. Railroad Police officers patrol, in particular, long-distance and night trains, and at stations in big cities where vagrants often accumulate.
Rete Ferroviaria Italiana
and other
Ferrovie dello Stato
companies co-operate fully with the railroad police in dealing with railway security for passengers.
Post and telecommunications
[
edit
]
The
Polizia postale e delle comunicazioni
, or
Polizia Postale
for short, investigates all crimes that use communications as part of its modus operandi such as computer hacking, online child pornography, credit card fraud, spreading computer viruses or software copyright violations.
Immigration and Border Police
[
edit
]
To control the flow of migrants into Italy, the Department of Public Security set up the Immigration and Border Police Service (Polizia di Frontiera), to enforce regulations concerning the entry and stay of aliens in Italy. The service operates at both central and local level with many land, air and maritime border police offices.
The service is also responsible for passport control, the issuing of residence permits, as well as the prevention and control of illegal immigration. Although due to the
Schengen Agreement
the land borders have disappeared, the division is still present on all borders to do systematic or random checks. In airports, the border police are in charge of security (hand baggage searches are done by airport companies or
private security companies
but are supervised by the Polizia di Frontiera and by the
Guardia di Finanza
) and immigration checks.
Mobile units
[
edit
]
There are 13 mobile units of "Reparto Mobile" located in the main Italian cities. These can be deployed throughout the country to maintain public order with crowd-control equipment and vehicles or perform rescue services in areas affected by natural disasters. These units employ personnel that are trained and equipped for their task.
The P.d.S.'s bomb disposal units, mounted detachments, canine units, air support squadrons and maritime and river police units all fall under the mobile unit HQ.
Anti Terrorism Police
[
edit
]
The Anti Terrorism Police is a specialist body made up of the Central Directorate for the Anti Terrorism Police and of the Branches for
General Investigations and Special Operations Division
(
DIGOS
?
Divisione Investigazioni Generali e Operazioni Speciali
), located in the
questure
at the local level. The Directorate for the Anti Terrorism Police has two departments: one is mainly responsible for information collection and analysis while the other develops and coordinates investigations aimed at preventing and fighting terrorism. The
Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza
(Central Operational Core of Security) is the State Police's elite
police tactical unit
.
Training
[
edit
]
Recruit training is carried out at the police academy and at an advanced school for senior police officers. There are schools for basic training of cadet officers and technical operators, for teaching police specialities, for instructors, pilots, dog handlers and mounted police officers and the community police school.
Weapons
[
edit
]
The standard
service pistol
of the
Polizia di Stato
is the
Beretta Model 92FS
; other sidearms might be made available to police personnel according to necessities and assignments. In addition, a
Beretta PM-12S
submachine gun
is issued to every squad car. Other firearms, such as the
Beretta 70/90 assault weapons system
,
Heckler & Koch MP5
sub-machine guns and
Benelli shotguns
are in service with the corps and can either be issued to the general personnel according to particular necessities or to the specialities the officers are assigned to. A
40mm grenade
launcher, the
GL-40/90
, manufactured by
Luigi Franchi S.p.A.
under license from Heckler & Koch of Germany is the standard-issue weapon for
riot control
operations.
[12]
Vehicles
[
edit
]
The State Police use Italian vehicles ranging from 1994
Fiat Puntos
to the
Alfa Romeo 159
2,4 JTD, and the
Alfa Romeo 155
8v and foreign makes such as the
Subaru Legacy
SW and
Subaru Forester
,
BMW E46
and
E91
, and the
Volvo XC70
.
In May 2004 the PdS received two
Lamborghini Gallardos
equipped with V10 engines and 520 bhp (390 kW) in the classic blue white livery with accessories such as a container for transporting organs and a
defibrillator
. The cars are used on the
A3 Salerno-Reggio Calabria
and the
A14 Bologna-Taranto
motorways.
[13]
On 29 November 2009, one of the two Gallardos was severely damaged in an accident while returning from a public display in
Cremona
: it crashed into some parked cars while avoiding another car which crossed the road illegally.
[14]
The Gallardo was fully insured, and is currently being repaired by Lamborghini itself.
[15]
On 30 March 2017 the PdS received the second
Lamborghini Huracan
equipped with V10 engines and 520 bhp in the classic blue-white livery with accessories such as a container for transporting organs and a defibrillator.
[16]
Rank structure and insignia
[
edit
]
Directors of Police
[
edit
]
The directors of police are not sworn police officers, but senior civil servants, and are not uniformed.
- Capo della Polizia ? Direttore Generale della Pubblica Sicurezza
(Chief of Police ? Director General of Public Security) is the chief of the Polizia di Stato, and head of the Department of Public Security in the Ministry of Interior and as such in charge of coordinating all Italian police forces.
- Vice capo vicario della polizia di Stato
(Deputy Chief of Police)
- Vice Direttore generale ? Direttore Centrale Polizia Criminale
(Deputy Director General ? Director of Central Criminal Police)
- Vice Direttore generale
(Deputy Director General), in charge of planning and coordination.
Executive Officers
[
edit
]
Rank
|
Technical Rank
|
Medical Rank
|
Insignia
|
Cap band
|
Promotion notes
|
Dirigente Generale
(General Director)
|
Dirigente Generale Tecnico
|
Dirigente Generale Medico
|
|
|
|
Dirigente Superiore
(Superior Director)
|
Dirigente Superiore Tecnico
|
Dirigente Superiore Medico
|
|
|
|
Director Officers
[
edit
]
Inspectors
[
edit
]
Rank
|
Technical rank
|
Insignia
|
Cap band
|
Promotion notes
|
Sostituto Commissario Coordinatore
(Station Inspector Coordinator)
|
Sostituto Commissario Coordinatore tecnico
|
|
|
Promotion to
Ispettore Superiore Sostituto Commissario Coordinatore
after 4 years of service as
Ispettore Superiore Sostituto Commissario
.
|
Sostituto Commissario
(Station Inspector)
|
Sostituto Commissario tecnico
|
|
|
Promotion to
Ispettore Superiore Sostituto Commissario
based on scrutiny and at least 8 years of service as
Ispettore Superiore
.
|
Ispettore Superiore
(Senior Inspector)
|
Ispettore Superiore tecnico
|
|
|
Promotion to
Ispettore Superiore
based on scrutiny and at least 9 years of service as
Ispettore Capo
, as well as the possession of a
Bachelor's degree
.
|
Ispettore Capo
(Chief Inspector)
|
Ispettore Capo tecnico
|
|
|
Promotion to
Ispettore Capo
after scrutiny.
|
Ispettore
(Inspector)
|
Ispettore tecnico
|
|
|
Promotion to
Ispettore
after 5 years of service as
Vice ispettore
|
Vice Ispettore
(Sub-inspector)
|
Vice Ispettore tecnico
|
|
|
50% are recruited through direct entry from civilian life; 50% are recruited from lower ranks with at least 5 years of service. For both recruitments a secondary school diploma qualifying for university studies are required.
|
Superintendent
[
edit
]
Rank
|
Technical rank
|
Insignia
|
Cap band
|
Promotion notes
|
Sovrintendente Capo Coordinatore
(Chief Sergeant Coordinator)
|
Sovrintendente Capo Coordinatore tecnico
|
|
|
Promotion to
Sovrintendente capo coordinatore
after 8 years of service as
Sovrintendente capo
|
Sovrintendente Capo
(Chief Sergeant)
|
Sovrintendente Capo tecnico
|
|
|
Promotion to
Sovrintendente capo
based on scrutiny and at least 5 years of service as
Sovrintendente
|
Sovrintendente
(Sergeant)
|
Sovrintendente tecnico
|
|
|
Promotion to
Sovrintendente
after 5 years of service as an
Vice sovrintendente
|
Vice Sovrintendente
(Sub-Sergeant)
|
Vice Sovrintendente tecnico
|
|
|
70% are recruited through selection from
Assistente Capo
; 30% from
Agenti
and
Assistenti
with at least 4 years of service through an examination.
|
Agent and Assistant
[
edit
]
Rank
|
Technical rank
|
Insignia
|
Cap band
|
Promotion notes
|
Assistente Capo Coordinatore
(Chief Assistant Coordinator)
|
Assistente Capo Coordinatore tecnico
|
|
|
Promotion to
Assistente capo coordinatore
after 8 years of service as an
Assistente capo
|
Assistente Capo
(Chief Assistant)
|
Assistente Capo tecnico
|
|
|
Promotion to
Assistente capo
based on scrutiny and at least 4 years of service as an
Assistente
|
Assistente
(Assistant)
|
Assistente tecnico
|
|
|
Promotion to
Assistente
based on scrutiny and at least 5 years of service as an
Agente scelto
|
Agente Scelto
(Senior Constable)
|
Agente Scelto tecnico
|
|
|
Promotion to
Agente scelto
based on scrutiny and at least 5 years of service as an
Agente
|
Agente
(Constable)
|
Agente tecnico
|
|
|
Civilians and 1- and 4-year volunteers of the
Italian Armed Forces
are eligible to take part in the exam to become an
Agente
|
Decorations awarded to the State Police
[
edit
]
- 1 Knight's Cross of the
Military Order of Italy
- 17 Gold Medals of Civil Valour
- 14 Gold Medals of Civil Merit
- 3 Silver Medals of Civil Merit
- 1 Bronze Medal of Civil Merit
- 2 Bronze Medals of Militar Valour
- 1 Gold Medal of Public Health Merit
- 1 Bronze Medal of Civil Defense Excellence 1st Class
- 2 separate Medals of Merited Service in Earthquake Relief (1908 and 1915, respectively)
- UN Peacekeeping Medal (for service as part of UNMIK Kosovo 1995-2004)
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
|
---|
Africa
| |
---|
Asia
| |
---|
Europe
| |
---|
North America
| |
---|
Oceania
| |
---|
South America
| |
---|
International
| |
---|
Non-recognized
| |
---|
Defunct
| |
---|
|
|
---|
Africa
| |
---|
Americas
| |
---|
Asia and Oceania
| |
---|
Europe
| |
---|
States with limited recognition
| |
---|
Defunct
| |
---|
|