Difference between revisions of "Law enforcement in the Kingdom of Italy"

The '''state security and law enforcement''' in [[Italy (Social Republic)|Italy]] have a particular status due to the need to relate with Autonomous Republics of the Italian Empire and have a deep interpenetration with PNF organization, tough maintaining a clearly distinct organization. This interpenetration is ensured through both mandatory Party membership and overall Party dominance over security party and state bodies.<br />

The main and overall agency is the Ministry of the Interior. Below and functionally subordinated to the Ministry there are the two main security bodies: the Directorate General of Public Security, which controls the Republican Police Corps, and the Central Security Office of the Voluntary Militia for National Security, which relies mainly on O.V.R.A..<br />

The Central Security Office is a National Fascist Party body and is tasked with political security enforcement. The main instrument the CSO operates through is OVRA, tasked with the protection of the Regime and the carrying out of independent intelligence service. OVRA and military intelligence are the two main espionage organizations and they are old rivals. As part of the internal security system, OVRA has the purpose of fighting anti-regime crimes: it operates against underground politicians, political criminals, dissidents, anti-fascists organizations and terrorists, and protects the Duce and most important Italian political elite members.<br />

The Directorate General of Public Security operates the Republican Police Corps (It: "''Corpo di Polizia Repubblicana''", C.P.R.), which is the militarized police force of the Italian law enforcement system. Both the Directorate General and the Corps have several branches, although they are grouped in two main divisions, i.e. the Division of Criminal Police, which fights against serious organized crime and has a strong analytic, criminologist and intellectual base, and which controls also the Central Investigations Service, which in turn fights against the most dangerous and harmful criminal cases, and the "usual police", whose purpose is to protect the society from less serious crimes. Furthermore, the Public Security has limited intelligence capabilities, but it serves as partial counterbalance to the Party security apparatus. Politically, police serve to deter opposition to PNF directives, and contain it should it appear: the political police are the core of the system. However, police persecute only those who overtly expressed dissatisfaction or disagreement with the regime.<br>

In addition to the Public Security administration, also the MVSN deploys some units and departments tasked with police and public security duties: with the exception of the Labour Militia, these units are under the overall direction of relevant Public Security bodies, although they constitute a more politically oriented policing. However, since all members of Public Security must be enrolled in the PNF, there is little or no serious or harsh rivalry, but a deeply felt professional competition.

The Administrative Police is a state function characterized by a complex of powers given to the government to ensure the development of the normal administrative activities. The activity of Administrative Police includes prevention activities not related to the Judicial Police nor to the Public Security, including: traffic police, rations police, commercial activities police, buildings and constructions police, urban and rural police, and other fields.<br>

The activity of Administrative Police includes preventive and repressive activities, character enhancement, and is instrumental to the active administration. The main scope is to regulate certain activities, the issue of permits for the discharge of the same, the imposition of administrative penalties in case of violations.<br>

Personnel having the powers of Agent of Administrative Police are comprised in several categories: all Agents, Officers and Authorities of both Public Security and Judicial Police, all Agents and Officers of Tributary Police (itself a branch of Administrative Police), all personnel belonging to the Fire Corps, all MVSN personnel (when in service), all GNR personnel, all Army, Navy and Air Force personnel when deployed in public order services, members of the local police corps, Mayors, Rectors and members of the consultative councils, their official delegates, Prefects, officials and clerks of Prefectures, Prefectorial Commissioners, all Ministries personnel empowered to conduct inspections against private citizens, other people (if appointed in this capacity by the Prefect).

The protection of public order goes beyond repressive activity to extend the scope to estimate, determination as to encompass all able to prevent the occurrence of conflicts and their degenerate into episodes of disturbance. Protecting the public order is primarily about preventing the causes that may break it.<br>

Protection of public order is essentially the prevention of acts of collective violence and arbitrariness, but also the guarantee of social order, the harmonious development of labour relations, the quiet course of life Community in all its manifestations in accordance with Fascist principles.<br>

The public security authority, under Italian law, supervises the maintenance of public order, of public security and of public safety, to their safety and the protection of property. Being the activity of Public Security a peculiar form of Administrative Police, all Authorities of P.S. are ''ipso facto'' Agents of Administrative Police.<br>

* The powers of the Local Public Security Authority are exercised by the head of the local Public Security Office or, in the absence of the Office, by the Podestà in his capacity of Officer of the Government. The Head of the Office of Public Security is the the Questor in the provincial capital and the officials in charge of the Commissariats of Public Security in the other municipalities. The Minister of the Interior is responsible for law enforcement and public safety, and the Imperial Authority of Public Security. He has senior management and responsibility of law and order and public security and coordinates the tasks and activities of the police forces. The Minister of the Interior carries out his tasks taking advantage of the Department of Public Security. The direction of the police intervention presupposes a hierarchical formalized in an order that the person should perform; coordination presupposes autonomy of the subject.

Being the Imperial Authority of Public Security, the Minister has the power to adopt measures and ordinances of police for law enforcement and public security. As Imperial Authority of Public Security, the Ministry of the Interior is politically responsible for the adopted policies.<br />

The Prefect has overall responsibility for public order and security in the region and oversees the implementation of directives adopted in the field, ensuring unity of direction and coordination of tasks and activities of the officers and agents of public security (but not the police force as a whole). The Prefect has the power to enact urgent ordinances (''Ordinanze contingibili ed urgenti'') which derogate from laws in order to deal with situations that endanger public order and public security. If reinforcements are needed for certain services, the assessment on the request lies with the Prefect, who also can dispose of reinforcements directly, although in practice he will put them at disposal of the Quaestor.<br />

* Police Stations Commanders, in their municipality;

* Podestà, where there is no police.

The Public Security Officers consist of all Police Officials and Officers and all Prison Officials. They, up to rank of Vicequestore and Lieutenant Colonel excluded, are also Officers of Judicial Police. Other categories of Officers of Public Security are the Officers of the MVSN and of the GNR.

The Agents of public security have to promptly notify, in writing, the public security officers of every crime and every important event that happens in the places where they serve. In urgent cases, the information may be given verbally, held firm the obligation to report them later in writing. Agents of Public Security ordinarily consist in the Police, Prison Police, MVSN and GNR Non-Commissioned Officers and enlisted, as well as members of the Fire Corps. The status of Agents of Public Security may be conferred, temporarily, to drivers of vehicles used by high personalities.

Officers of Judicial Police include Officials (up to Vicequestore) and top-level subofficers of the Republican Police Corps and the mayor of the municipalities where a police office is not established.<br />

Agents of the judicial police include Enlisted of the Republican Police Corps. There are several exceptions and additions to these categories, but additional people are restricted to a specific area.<br />

The Officers of Judicial Police have the exclusive of certain functions, as delegated by the Judicial Authority: seizure of documents, securities, valuables and correspondence , interceptions and inspections of places, people and things. The Agents of Judicial Police may carry out, among other activities, the identification of the suspect, arrest in ''flagrante delicto'', simply receiving spontaneous statements and the disclosure of crime to the public prosecutor.

Public security measures are administrative acts aimed to prevent threats to the public security, safety, morality and decency. These measures are routinely enacted by the relevant Provincial Authority of Public Security. These measures are: Warning, Admonition, Special Surveillance, Forced Stay, Confinement.<br />

The Police Warning is a notice issued by the local police commander in which he warns people to change behaviour, warning them that, if not, the preventive measures can be adopted. The following categories of people may be wary of the commander of the police:

It applies to persons who are considered hazardous for the security and the public morality and, in particular, to:

* Those who suspected of living with the gains of criminal actions;

* Those who are suspected of exploiting illegal prostitution, or trafficking in women, or corruption of minors, to exercise the contraband, or to sell or facilitate the use of fraudulently;

* Habitual drug dealers;

* Suspected of subversive activities;

* Those who are deemed dangerous to the state order;

The complaints made ​​by the police or by a subject are passed to the Ministry of Interior, which refers to a Commission. The Commission questions the reported and invites him to present justifications. If the Commission approves the proposed confinement, the subject was arrested and subsequently sent in the municipality chosen by the Ministry.

The Forced Stay is an administrative measure, consisting in the obligation to live in a restricted location, established by the authorities, for a certain period of time (even a few years).

The arrest is a measure restricting personal liberty that officers and agents of the judicial police take against those who are caught in flagrante delicto, that is, those who are caught in the act of committing the crime (proper ''flagrante''), or chased after the offence, or surprised with things or tracks from which it appears that he has committed the crime immediately before (improper ''flagrante'').

* For intentional crimes, attempted or actual, punishable by imprisonment for life or imprisonment of not less than the minimum five and maximum of twenty years;

* For a series of intentional crimes, attempted or actual, that despite being punished with lower penalties, but cause widespread public alarm (eg, robbery, extortion, drug dealing, robbery or burglary).

* in the presence of intentional criminal acts, attempted or consummated, punishable by a maximum imprisonment of three years,

In any case, the judicial police can exercise the power to make an arrest when the measure is justified by the gravity of the fact or by the dangerousness of the person, taken from his personality or the circumstances of the fact.<br />

If it comes to crimes prosecuted on complaint, the arrest in ''flagrante delicto'' is only possible if the complaint is lodged officer or agent of the judicial police present at the scene of the crime. If the plaintiff claims to withdraw the lawsuit, the arrested person must be immediately released.

* A crime committed for the purpose of terrorism, including international terrorism, piracy or subversion.

In the classical case, the detention of suspect is an interim measure ordered by the public prosecutor owner of the investigation, but when he has not yet taken over the investigation, the police carry out the detention. The jurisdiction of the judicial police also exists when the prosecutor has already taken over the investigation but for reasons of urgency it is not possible to wait for the decision of the prosecutor.

== Dualism of the police: the National Republican Guard and the Republican Police Corps ==

The dualism between GNR and Police and can be explained as that it duplicates the dualism between Fascism and the Government, not only institutionally, but also substantially.<br />

The GNR refers more to Fascism, because of their being actual and effective part of the Militia, which, political armed force, heads not to the government, but to the Duce.<br />

The Republican Police Corps, for its part, being only formally part of the armed forces, but actually depending on its General Directorate, then on the Ministry of the Interior, is also an institutional military hand of the government.<br>

The contrast between organisms of Fascism and the organs of government acquires precise meanings.<br />

The loyalty of the Guard to Fascism means that the weapon is the active force of the defence of Fascism ''par excellence''. Loyalty to the institutions for the GNR becomes institutionalized loyalty to Fascism, and the loyalty to the state becomes the state loyalty to Fascism, and the fidelity to the law turns into loyalty immutability of the law. Among the National Republican Guards there is first of all the sublime aura of the Idea and its defence. Within cadres, especially higher, the GNR has perfectly mastered the rhetoric that accompanies it in its existence.<br />

Within the Republican Police Corps and generally within Public Security, unlike the GNR, are the men to prevail over the organization. Public Security does not have the myth of itself, has no "prestige" to keep alive, and speaks of prestige reasoning in technical and efficiency terms.<br />

The Republican Police, as part of the armed forces, observes laws and military regulations, like the Republican National Guard. Because of its dependence on a civil Ministry, and of presence at its top of the Corps of Officials, the same rules of conduct that are of within the GNR automatic application, in the Police they become a means of pressure and intimidation.<br />

The Republican National Guard is the body far more technically equipped to act as a mass crash at all times, thanks to the Battalions "M" and the five Divisions of the Legionary Corps, while Public Security is much less well armed, less rigidly centralized, with more appropriate means for dissolution of crowds and riots.<br />

The Republican National Guard is the ideal tool to hold the supreme security of the State and Fascism. The GNR is used much less of Public Security, acting as a reserve for "special occasions".<br />

The Republican National Guard has rhetoric is inherited by the police and by the Militia according to which each Guard is an ardent Fascist, square, maker of victories, the guardian of the Fascist homeland, slave only of duty, Latin proud virtue and bravery.<br />

Neither the Republican Police Corps nor the whole Public Security administration have precise rhetoric beyond efficiency.

The Central Security Office (it: "Ufficio Centrale di Sicurezza) is an organization subordinate to the Commandant General of the MVSN. The organization's stated duty is to fight all political enemies of the Fascist Regime. It is to note that the UCS is a functional body of the MVSN and is in charge of direction of particular services of autonomous bodies.<br />

The UCS was created on 8 September 1946 through the merger of the various criminal intelligence agencies with the OVRA.<br />

The organization controls the political security service of the OVRA. Its activities include intelligence-gathering, political-criminal investigation, overseeing foreigners, monitoring public opinion.<br />

The UCS is divided into fourteen offices and Directorates:

* OVRA Liaison office - Internal political surveillance

* OVRA Liaison office - External political surveillance

* OVRA Liaison office - Leaders protection

* GNR Liaison office - Internal Troops

* PS Liaison office - Political issues

* GRdF Liaison office - Financial issues

All central offices and directorates, with the exception of the liaison offices, are directed by MVSN officers with specific skills in that field; internal subdivisions of each Directorate - which constitute the hearth of the operational activities - are directed by senior officers (or officials) of all police and security organizations involved.

=== GNR Internal Troops ===

The internal troops are the main National Republican Guard force and they are functionally subordinated to the Central Security Office. They are used to support and reinforce the Public Security instrument, deal with large-scale crowd control, internal armed conflicts, maximum-security prison guard and safeguarding of highly-important facilities like nuclear power plants. During wartime, the GNR Internal Troops falls under Armed Forces command and fulfil the missions of local defence and rear area security.<br>

Internal Troops belong to the National Republican Guard and consist of the 18 "''M''" Battalions, the "''M''" Marines Regiment "''San Giorgio''" and the special forces units. They are operationally directed by the Director General of the Central Security Office.

=== Central Anti-Mafia Investigative Directorate ===

The Central Anti-Mafia Investigative Directorate (''Direzione Centrale Investigativa Antimafia'', Di.C.I.A.) is an investigative body, established in 1993 within the Central Security Office, with mono-functional competence, consisting of specialized personnel coming from all security and police forces, with the sole task of ensuring the application, in a coordinated manner, of preventive investigations relating to organized crime, as well as the subsidiary task of carrying out criminal investigations relating exclusively to Mafia. In particular, the preventive investigations are aimed at defining the structural mafia connotations and connections objectives and operating procedures, both at domestic and international level. The Directorate is the investigative arm of the National Anti-Mafia Directorate, headed by the National Anti-Mafia Prosecutor, who in turn depends on the Prosecutor General at the Court of Cassation.<br>

The Directorate is headed by a Director, selected in rotation among the Inspectors General (Rank V) of Public Security, the General Officers of the Republican Guard of Finance and the General Officers of the M.V.S.N. who have gained specific experience in the field of combating organized crime. For the exercise of its functions, the Director uses two Deputy Directors who are responsible, respectively, for overseeing operational activities and administrative ones. The central support structure is composed of:

 

=== Central Directorate for Personal Security ===

The entity responsible for the personal security is the Minister of the Interior, who performs his functions by the Central Security Office. In turn, the internal structure is the Central Directorate for Personal Security (Italian: ''Direzione Centrale per la Sicurezza Personale'', Di.Ce.S.P.).<br>

Its functional area of responsibility relates to the preservation and protection of eminent persons (both for institutional and political reasons) both domestic and foreign, as well as persons who are subject to hazards or threats, in the person of his or her family. Outside of the high political personalities, the dangers which the Central Directorate must respond to are of a terrorist nature or related to organized crime, drug trafficking, arms trafficking or radioactive material trafficking. Finally, the Central Directorate is responsible to avoid the dangers related to activities of foreign intelligence. The Central Directorate may also adopt measures to arrange flights to ensure the safety of the leading figures or other persons subject to dangers or threats.<br>

The special tasks of the Central Directorate include the collection and analysis of all the information related to personal situations at risk that [[OVRA (Italian Social Republic)|OVRA]], the [[Military Information Service (Italian Social Republic)|Military Information Service]], the judiciary, the police and security forces and the [[M.V.S.N. (Italian Social Republic)|Militia]] are required to provide, taking care also connections with the provincial offices. The Directorate also deals with the services and personnel strategic and operational planning, technical training of personnel employed in the security services and the check of the special tools used for protection services and their supervision. Finally, the Central Directorate also provides the activation of the procedures of emergency.<br>

The Central Directorate is a partial exception to the general leadership and composition rule: it is headed by a Prefect of 2nd Class, a Major General of the Republican Police Corps or a Consul General of the MVSN. The head-quarters personnel can be assigned to the Central Directorate from all State administrations and corps, from all security forces, both Party and State ones, while the security services and surveillance are carried out from specialized offices and units of Public Security or the Militia.<br>

 

The Central Advisory Commission (It: ''Commissione Consultiva Centrale'') is a body of the Central Directorate; the Commission, at the request of the Director, provides its opinion on the adoption, modification and revocation of protection measures and surveillance, as well as on all other matters, related to measures of protection and supervision, that the Director deems to submit.<br>

The Central Directorate uses the Commission for the adoption of protective and supervision measures. The Commission is chaired by the Director of the Central Directorate itself, and is composed of one representative from each of the police forces involved, a representative of the OVRA, a representative of the Militia, a representative of the Military Information Service, and three representatives of the National Fascist Party.

 

Any measure taken by the Director is communicated to the Prefect and Quaestor of the province affected by the execution of the decision adopted. In every Prefecture, as part of the [[Local government of the Italian Social Republic#Cabinet and Divisions|Sixth Division]], operates the Provincial Office for Personal Security, responsible for collection and preliminary analysis of information related to personal situations at risk, as well as information connections with the Central Directorate. The Office makes use of the police forces in the province (Public Security and others), MVSN and officers specifically designated and appointed. The Prefect convenes and presides special coordination meetings, with the participation of the Quaestor, the commanders of the other police forces that may be present in the Province, the MVSN Commander and the official in charge of the Office for Personal Security. It can also be called on the Federal Secretary of the PNF.<br>

 

The Special Court for State Security (It: ''Tribunale Speciale per la Sicurezza dello Stato'') is a special court of the Fascist Regime, competent to judge crimes against the security of the state and the regime, in order to conciliate security needs and respect of the rule of law. The Special Court is responsible for the punishment of a series of offences "against state security" and the reconstruction of dissolved associations, organizations or parties, anti-national propaganda activities abroad, terrorism, theft of public money and possession of explosives, if it is linked to a political reason. In war, the Special Court has other fields of jurisdiction, such as treason, espionage, fraud and breach of military supplies, or political offences such as association or subversive or anti-national propaganda committed by the military.<br>

 

The Presidency Council (''Consiglio di Presidenza'') consists of the Prime President, appointed by the Duce of the Republic, and of all five sectional Presidents.

[[File:Bandiera nazionale CPR.png|thumbnail|rght|200px|The National Flag of the Republican Police Corps ''and'' of the whole Directorate General of Public Security.]]

The overall direction of the public security services is assigned to the Prefects appointed by the government (both at the top of the Directorate General and locally, in the provincial governments), but responsibility for the execution of the service is entrusted to civilian officials of public security, and finally the executive service is entrusted to a military corps. Therefore, the technical part of the administration of public security is the most important, although Prefects still retain a significant influence and guidance positions.<br>

In carrying out their activities the Quaestor and other civilian officials of Public Security are assisted by military personnel of the Republican Police Corps, which is under the Ministry of Interior and part of the armed forces of the state, therefore being subject to the military law of peace and war, and, in the case of violations, judged by military courts.<br>

Each of the three components (Prefects, Officials, Military) follows its own rules of reference with regard to disciplinary measures, professional training, remuneration and career prospects. The civilian components (especially the Prefect Corps) are favoured, while the military component, except for the officers, is the most disadvantaged.<br>

=== Officials of Public Security ===

In Italy, the police are made up of both civilian and military personnel. Civilian personnel consists of public security officials and agents, depending on the Ministry of the Interior.<br />

* A Group personnel, public security officials;

* C Group personnel, employees of police and order employees.

Ranks in the career of public security officers are as follows in descending order: Director General, Inspector General, Quaestor (1st and 2nd class), Deputy Quaestor, Chief Commissioner, Commissioner, Additional Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner. Officers of Public Security, up to Deputy Quaestor, are also Officers of Judicial Police.<br>

The staff of the C-Group is divided into:

* Employees of Police, which assist the public security officials in dealing with the affairs of administrative police, but keeping a non decisional role;

Public Security Officials ranking Additional Deputy Commissioner of Public Security, Deputy Commissioner of P.S., Commissioner of P.S., Chief Commissioner of P.S. and Deputy Quaestor are framed within the Commissioners Category (''Categoria Commissari''). Such Officials have functions of both public security and judicial police; they direct offices involving a responsible professional contribution and independent decision in the context of issued orders.<br>

Additional Deputy Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Commissioners all apply such functions in collaboration with the directors of the offices and departments to which they are attached. Commissioners may be appointed director of offices or departments, with the related responsibilities about the orders received and the results achieved. In case of absence or inability of the director, Deputy Commissioners and Commissioners replace him. Chief Commissioners and Deputy Quaestors also have duties towards more organic units, within the office or department which they are attached. They can also be appointed directors of offices or departments not strictly reserved for the personnel of higher rank, with full responsibility. These two ranks are immediate collaborators of the Directors of Public Security, and they can replace them in the event of absence or impediment.

== Central organization of P.S. ==

The Directorate General of P.S. is headed by the Chief of Police - Director General of P.S. and it is organized into a Secretariat, three Inspectorates General and 16 Divisions:

* General Inspectorate for Public Security at the Duce of the Republic

* General Inspectorate of Public Security at the Vatican

* General Inspectorate for Public Security at the Ministry of the Interior

* Division III - Personnel of Public Security - the Division administers the public security civilian personnel (officers, employees, ushers);

** Higher Police School, which is responsible for the technical training of the student public security officials;

** Academy of Public Security, for the preparation of the Republican Police Corps officers: the Academy educates officers who do not learn only the traditional military education but also a solid grounding in various police fields such as forensic and criminology.

** Two police schools of Rome and Caserta for the preparation of sub-officers and agents of public security;

* Division V - Administrative and Social Police, which deals with the study and use of the most effective means to avert disruption of social and legal order: the Division also deals with the superintendence on administrative departments of public security provincial and sub-provincial offices;

* Division VI - Criminal Police, in charge of liability ascertainment and consequent punishment of the criminal, when, despite the adoption of the means of prevention, the injury of legal-social order has taken place (judicial police);

* Division VIII - Border Police: the MVSN is present on the front lines of the border, while in the back line service is entrusted to the Public Security. The general management is matter for Public Security, but the Militia, in addition to border watch, is responsible for the surveillance and supervision policy.

* Division IX - Transportation Police;

* Division X - Scientific Police and Forensics

* Division XI - Contracts and supplies management;

* [[Law enforcement of Italian Social Republic#Republican Police Corps|Inspectorate General of the Republican Police Corps]];

* Inspectorate General of Accountancy.

=== Division I - General Affairs ===

The Division I - General Affairs (It.: Divisione I - Affari Generali, D.AA.GG. or more frequently DAG) is the Division that, directly dependent on the Chief of Police, exercises functions of general support, coordination between divisions and of performing special and confidential tasks. The Division is divided into seven Sections, led by a Prefect who carries also the title of Head of the Secretariat of the Director General:

* Section I - General Affairs and Personnel;

* Section II - Analysis, Planning and Documentation;

* Section III - Subversive Movement and Public Order (liaison with the Central Security Office);

* Section VII Studies and Legislation;

* Section VIII - External Relations and Ceremonial

==== Section I - General Affairs and Personnel ====

The Section of General Affairs and Personnel has jurisdiction in internal general affairs, support to general administration and coordination for the implementation of programs and projects related to the direct responsibility of the Head of the Secretariat (Secretariat Office). In addition, the Section manages the issues personnel of the prefectorial career and personnel of the civil administration of the Interiors assigned to the Directorate General of Public Security (External Personnel Office).<br>

In order to perform this task, it monitors the personnel needs of the central offices, and liaises with the National Fascist Party and with the Directorate General for the General Affairs and Personnel (Analysis Office). The Section also assigns the Public Security personnel (both civil and military ones) and Civil Administration members to the central offices of the Directorate General (Central transfers Office). Finally, it manages access permits to the Viminale building and data related to the Public Security personnel assigned to the Directorate General (Viminale Office).<br>

The Section is led by a Vice-Prefect, while Offices are directed by Quaestors, 2nd class and by a Vice-Prefect Inspector (civilian and prefectorial personnel office).

==== Section II - Analysis, Planning and Documentation ====

The Section of Analysis, Planning and Documentation has jurisdiction in support to the Head of the Secretariat for the planning and the definition of the objectives and programs and the coordination of the activities of the offices of the Directorate General, as well as internal coordination. The Section main task is the analysis, advice and fitting information. In addition to this task, the Office prepares the records and documents to the National Committee of Order and Public Security, carries out the activities of the security secretariat and technical advice on issues relating to classified documents.<br>

The Section also oversees the functioning of the archives of the Questure and manages the acquisition, monitoring and management of internal and external information related to order and public security. In this sense, the Section directs the "Situations Centre"", in turn tasked with the management of all important peripheral news, and the Disaster Victims Identifications Group.<br>

The Section is directed by an Inspector General, and the individual offices are all headed by Quaestors, 2nd class.

==== Section III - Public Order ====

The Section of Public Order one of the most important offices within the Special Secretariat of Public Security (and even within the whole Directorate General of Public Security), because it deals with the top-level management of public order services, mainly on sensitive occasions. The Section is connected with the Central Security Office, with the Prefectures and the Questure for the management of public order on the occasion of important events, including rallies, demonstrations and other mass events, both events organized by the Regime and non-authorized events. The Section of Public Order is therefore the organ which is responsible for the deployment and the centralized direction and management of the Celere units, of the other non-territorial units of the Republican Police Corps, of the forces of the Voluntary Militia for National Security and of the Republican National Guard units for both public order and rescue operations in case of public calamities. The Office is also responsible for the oversight of the objectives of public interest and of diplomatic and service of security for foreign dignitaries temporarily visiting in Italy.<br>

The Section of Public Order, directed by an Inspector General, is further divided into three Offices:

* Office I - General Affairs: The Office supports the Director of the Office shall prepare guidelines on the management of events and provisions for the use of mobile forces. To achieve this, it plans reinforcements of the mobile units of the police and security forces for public order services or for rescue operations, assigning directly to the Provincial Authorities of Public Security any special units (canine units, mounted units, bomb disposal units, naval squads, divers and snipers and sharpshooters) and decides on any temporary aggregations of personnel of the Republican Police Corps for such services. With regard to other police forces, it requires such special units to the relevant Commands. The Office also monitors and analyses events and other events relevant to public order, prepares the daily reports and produces statistical analysis. The Office is directed by a Colonel of the Republican Police Corps.

* Office II - Official Events, Surveillance and Emergency: Office II is in charge of official events attended by the most important State and the Party leaders. In addition, it deals with the most critical situations and with surveillance operations. Therefore, it prepares guidelines on public order services on the occasion of such events, as it is responsible for the preparation of guidelines for the visits of foreign dignitaries in Italy. As regards the surveillance and emergency preparation activities, the Sector prepares the appropriate directives and emergency planning and crisis management that require the intervention of the Armed Forces. Finally, it is responsible for participation in exercises and international working groups for cooperation activities in the field of public security. It is directed by a Quaestor, 2nd class.

* Office III - Sports Violence: the 3rd Sector is responsible for the management of sports violence. Therefore, it mainly carries out studies and research for the prevention of violence in sport, performing a dynamic analysis of the illegality related to sporting events and establish the guidelines that result. The sector therefore takes the relations with the government's national and international sporting and other organs of the whole Directorate General for the coordination of law enforcement activities. Finally, the Office is responsible for the course material for the training and retraining of personnel in the field of public order. The Office is led by a Colonel of the Republican Police Corps.

=== Division II - Confidential Affairs ===

The Confidential Affairs Division (It: ''Divisione Affari Riservati'', ''D.AA.RR.'' or more commonly ''D.A.R.'') is a central office of the Division of General and Confidential Affairs. It deals with domestic intelligence and political police functions. Differently from Political Police Division, the DAARR is a pure intelligence-oriented internal organization, while the Division VII is an overt security apparatus and has operational roles, while DAR is officially restricted to dealing with information. The leadership of the Confidential Affairs Division is usually given to a trusted senior police official, who is promoted to the Prefect rank for the specific purpose.<br>

The Division is divided into six Offices and a central political database (''Casellario Politico Centrale''). Clandestine provincial teams are directly employed by the Confidential Affairs Division, which also uses the "Foreigners Surveillance Offices" framed within Questure.<br />

The D.A.R. organization is based on functional criteria and includes six Sections and a Central Political Database (It: ''Casellario Politico Centrale'', CPC)

* Section I: Public security preventive measures, concentration camps, confinement colonies, relations with Political Police;

* Section II: Peripheral teams co-ordination, money laundering and smuggling, urgent and confidential information service, complaints against government and Party important persons;

* Section V: Leftist and subversive activity analysis, terrorism within the Italian Empire;

* Section VI: Liberal and eversive organizations and separatist activity analysis, international terrorism;

* Central political database.

The chief of Section II is the most important man within the Division, because he manages all information notes and sends them to the relevant Section or Office; moreover, when he receives information about the scandals of high-level personalities, although news of crime, these were forwarded in the form of restricted and precisely through the Chief of Police, the Minister of the Interior which assesses whether or not to proceed. For news of crime of another type, the note is forwarded to the Political Police Division, which in turn forwards the note to the Political Office responsible for the area and this Office signs the judicial report without giving act of the memo information.<br>

The clandestine peripheral posts of the Division are usually arranged in the central boroughs, hidden among many other commercial activities and within the walls of anonymous buildings, which usually arise near important government buildings. They have offices or apartments specifically chosen to be easily accessible, often protected by a doorkeeper who knows everything and who pretends nothing. Usually, peripheral team hide behind the banner of fictitious insurance agencies or non-existent think tanks, cultural associations, institutions of cooperation or import-export companies. On the bell is written the initials of one of the many cover companies.<br>

During the operational activities, the agents of the peripheral teams do not wear uniforms, they do not have official vehicles and do not carry weapons; they just try to look inconspicuous, while seeming mere employees who every day go to the office, and in the same time to look deeply where they have to look.

=== Division III - Personnel of Public Security ===

The P.S. Personnel Division directly manages the civilian public security and issue guidelines for the management of the Police Force Republican. In particular, the Division issues guidelines on aspects regulated directions concerning the employment relationship and performs studies and counseling, manages the recruitment and internal selection procedures, deals with the procedures and events that affect the legal and economic status of the personnel, as well as with issues related to pensions and social security and takes care of litigation related to these activities, supporting the relevant bodies and offices.<br>

The Division is one among the most important Divisions of the Directorate General and, given the large sums at its disposal, is frequently targeted by surveys, inspections, audits and investigations.<br>

Due to its peculiar and dual nature, being a support Division and not an operational one, the structure is organized on seven Sections directly dependant on the Head of Division (a Prefect, 2nd Class), and on a Military Personnel Service (Servizio Personale Militare), headed by a CPR Brigadier General, in charge of military personnel. In turn, the Brigadier General reports to both the General Inspector - Inspector General of the Corps and to the head of Division III.

==== Section I - General Affairs and Legal Affairs ====

Section I deals with the planning, design and implementation of programs and objectives related to personnel matters. The Section coordinates the activities of the other offices of the Division and contributes to the planning of the staffing of regional offices. It also manages the authorization procedures for recruitment of personnel. and prepares the opinions as to provide, the necessary administrative and regulatory norms concering personnel issues. The consultancy is provided to all the other bodies of the Division, as well as the central and local offices of the Administration of Public Security.<br>

Section I is subdivided into six Offices: Planning, Coordinaton, Territorial Offices, Competitions, Consulting and Regulations Offices.

==== Section II - Litigation ====

Section II deals with the discussion of judicial remedies with respect to the employment relationship in the fields of Legal Status, Courses, Competitions, Abusive Transfers, Disciplinary Proceedings, Social Security Claims, Compensation, and other issues. It also handles requests for legal protection for acts committed in service. Section II is subdivided into ten offices: eight of them are dedicated to litigation against the personnel of the Administration of Public Security, and two offices are dedicated to the requests for legal protection made by members of the Administration of Public Security (both civilian and military ones) and by members of the Republican Guard of Finance.

==== Section III - Access Competitions ====

Section III deals with the management of the competitions of the civilian staff of the Administration of Public Security. The Section is responsible for the decision of the requirements of the candidates, announcements of competitions and contests management themselves. With regard to military personnel, the Section is responsible for providing advice and support, but it is not directly involved.<br>

The Section is subdivided into four offices: A-Group Personnel Office, C-Group Personnel Office, Documentation and Counselling Office and Informatics Management Office.

==== Section IV - Aptitude Selection ====

 

 

=== Division IV - Police Schools ===

The Division of Police Schools and Training Institutes deals with training of both civilian officials and military personnel of all ranks. The task is particularly delicate because the upper echelons are deliberately differentiated and the Division has to amalgamate and create an unique esprit de corps.<br>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Section IV - Anti-Terrorism: the Anti-Terrorism Section deals with all the phenomena of contrast to the domestic and international terrorism. It is not a judicial police service, so does not take, on an ongoing basis, tasks for the judicial authority. The Section coordinates and boost counter-terrorism sections of the local Political Offices. The Section is also a terminal of the whole information flow of national and international intelligence, as well as of the police investigations. The hub function assigned to Section IV in anti-terrorism matters makes it the police "spearhead" and the main interface of other non-intelligence police bodies.

* Section V - International Terrorism and Foreigners associations: the Section carries out surveillance tasks over foreigners associations (both Imperial and non-Imperial people) in order to counter international terrorism in its cradle. Originally being a mere subsection of Section IV, the Section maintains a close work relationship with the Section IV - Anti-Terrorism, and they often form joint working groups.

* Section VI - State Security: it carries out investigations directly, or assists, directing them, those investigations carried out by other police departments for crimes against the State, of anarchist nature or against loyalty to Fascism, assisting and complementing the activities of the peripheral bodies. The Section can also claim for itself the investigations when it considers it necessary or when it is requested by the State Security Prosecution; the State Security Court relies on this Section for judicial police duties.

 

The Division has placed under its own a Divisional File Cabinet, in order to achieve operational autonomy from OVRA. The Cabinet is operated by an autonomous computer system, and it is functionally subdivided into three parts:

* an archive where all documents are inventoried according object, for example in antifascist groups and movements;

 

Political Offices often have a separate wing dedicated to their own use. Each Political Office head-quarters has a large hall which is used for internal meetings and news conferences. An ordinary Political Office is directed by a Deputy Quaestor, while important ones are led by Quaestors, 2nd Class. Officials in charge of the Sections only deal with the management of operational services, while personnel management is completely handled by the Detachments (of CPR military personnel) established in each Section. The Detachments are Squad-strength each, and they are commanded by the most senior available Subofficer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Interregional Command of the Republican Police Corps have their own Medical Sections, in charge of providing medical services to those military units of the Republican Police Corps which are not framed into a mixed (military+civilian personnel) office. In addition to the unit medical assistance, the Interregional Command and its Health Section are in charge of providing (military) medical officers to the Joint Military Hospitals.

 

 

The Special Inspectorate of Public Security at the Ministry of Health (''Ispettorato Speciale di P.S. presso il Ministero della Salute'') is placed directly under the Minister of Health; members of the Inspectorate have therefore the powers of the Health Inspectors; therefore they may act, by day and by night, in all those places where there is production, administration, storage or sale of products intended for human or animal use. These powers are exercised independently from the powers of agents and officers of judicial police, as well as from the powers of agents and officers of public security.<br>

The Inspectorate also has responsibility in the field of international prophylaxis of infectious and contagious diseases, air, border and maritime health, as well as manufacture and sale of medicines. In addition, it oversees the cosmetics and herbal medicine, on the production of medical devices, medical devices and diagnostics, hygiene and public health, and animal health. Finally, the Inspectorate oversees the production and trade of legal drugs for the preparation of pharmaceuticals. The most serious and dangerous adulteration come very often by the operator located at a considerable distance from each other, so the activities are beyond the control of local authorities, subject to territorial limitations, but can be well contrasted by the Inspectorate, characterized by a top-down organization, and thus be able to have a global vision.<br>

The operational work carried out by the Inspectorate develops through three main operating modes. First of all, the Inspectorate conducts investigation proceedings, which consists of investigations to stamp out illegal activities in the specific field of adulteration, food and health care fraud. Such investigations are very long and laborious, requiring investigative acumen, outstanding professionalism and knowledge of the socio-economic context in which they operate; judicial police investigations in the field of food adulteration are conducted with operational criteria that substantially differ from the normal law enforcement techniques.<br>

 

 

The Vigilance and Support Section is responsible for verifying compliance with the requirements in the restricted areas of the Ministry of Interior and the peripheral offices. The Section has three offices; two offices are governed by a Director of Division (Medical) of Public Security, and an office is ruled a Director of Division (Technical) of Public Security. The Vigilance Office deals with programmed and emerging surveillance at all restricted facilities of the Ministry of Interior; the Studies Office manages the study and analysis of the current legislation for the purpose of training and retraining of doctors in charge of the specific field of supervision; finally, the Technical Office carries out studies and consultancy, technical surveys carried out in the workplace and on construction sites in areas dependent on the Ministry of Interior.

 

* General Affairs Division: it deals with general support activities. The Division includes the Secretariat, the Inspection and Audit Office (one of the most important office within the Directorates) and the Legal Office.

 

The Regional Offices of Public Security are 21 multi-provincial police offices in charge of co-ordinating public security information-gathering work within their boundaries, which coincide with the boundaries of the Courts of Appeal and Assize, and with those of the special (anti-terrorism and anti-mafia) prosecution pools. Each and every public security organization set up in municipalities (Commissariats of P.S.) and provinces (Questure) is under the coordination management of the local Prefect and the public security organs at the higher level; therefore, Commissariats are dependent on the Questura and Questure are dependent on - for coordination and information management purposes only - the Regional Offices of P.S., which in turn are overseen by the Interregional Directorates and the Chief of Police. The 21 Regional Offices are directed by a Director General of P.S. in charge of Peripheral Office and, for information purposes, are in direct touch with the Chief of Police - Director General of Public Security. All the Regional Offices of P.S. (and their CPR counterparts) are based in the Regional capital cities or towns, with the exception of the Veneto Regional Office of Public Security, which is based in Padua.<br>

 

The Podestà, however, in his capacity as Local Authority of Public Security, is framed in a position of functional subordination to both the Prefect and Quaestor; he can be called to work in the fields of competence for the best performance of the function of public security.<br>

There are also some police offices which are not under the Quaestor's command as Police official, but are under his direction in his capacity as head of the Public Security service in the province: these offices are, usually, Services detachments; finally, Celere units are not under Quaestor's command nor direction and neither under local Group Commander's jurisdiction, having their own chain of command. The Prefect, however, can use all of Local Police, Police, MVSN, GNR units, offices and services in the Province, if he deems that the situation requires so.

 

 

The performance of police services is provided by provincial and local offices. In the capital city of the province, it functions, dependent on the Prefect, a Public Security bureau headed by a Quaestor (It: "''Questore''") and named "Questura". In other smaller centres are established detached Offices of Public Security, headed by a Public Security official reporting to the Prefect and the Quaestor. The most populous cities are divided into districts or sections, each with a specific Office of Public Security subject to the Questura. It is to be noted that "Quaestor" is both a rank and an office: not all Quaestors are in service at provincial Questure, but all Questure are headed by a Quaestor, of 1st or 2nd Class according the importance of the location; in all cases the provincial Quaestors organize frequent meetings during which the commanders of the provincial Questura and the commanders of the special units which are deployed in the province and are not outside his command analyse the investigative findings and plan joint operational activities.<br />

* Division I (Cabinet): the Cabinet Division includes both operational police offices, such as General and Confidential Affairs Office, Public order Office, and administrative support offices, such as Personnel, Accounting, Safety, Health, Barracking and Equipment Offices. This Division includes the archives of the Cabinet, Political Office and Foreigners Surveillance Office;

* Division II (Anti-Crime police): Mobile Squad (corresponding to the U.K. Criminal Investigations Department), Scientific Police Cabinet, Permanent Criminal Records of the judicial police, Identity cards and notifications register and Criminal general archive;

 

The Mobile Squad (It: ''Squadra Mobile'') is the Anti-Crime Division cornerstone office, tasked with performing investigations duties. The Mobile Squad is usually headed by a Vicequestore. The Mobile Squad is the counterpart of British Criminal Investigations Branches and leads investigations to identify those responsible for the crimes and the collection of the relevant sources of evidence. The assigned personnel operate almost exclusively in plain clothes; the activity of the Division is solely and exclusively the detective work, which is mainly devoted to law enforcement action, while the prevention activity is normally delegated to other offices. Each Mobile Squad is structured around ten sections headed by Chief Commissioners, each specializing in a particular category of offences and in turn it is divided into Units, headed by a Commissioner:

 

 

The Patrol Cars Section (''Sezione Autopattuglie'') is a section of the General Prevention Division, is headed by a military officer, and it is present in each Questura. The same service performed by Commissariats is known as as "Radio Cars" (''Radiomobili''). Patrol Cars Sections are in direct contact with citizens in the cities; directed by radio from the Operations Room of their Province, the patrol cars get involved to any request for assistance received by the public emergency number 111. For this reason, the operators of the patrol car and the radio car must be able to face any type of intervention.<br>

For each turn there are two or more patrol cars, depending on the city/town size; each patrol car is assigned a specific and precise area to be covered. Each turn is headed by a coordinating Marshal of P.S., who is responsible for the entire turn: he, at the beginning of turn, decides crews, sectors to assign and what patrol cars which have to carry out the services other than emergency (fixed surveillance, picketing, treatments of arrested/stopped people, etc..). The Patrol Cars, in addition to the repression service, also are entrusted of prevention service. The police patrol crews, who know their area of jurisdiction and the people who habitually frequents, observe carefully what is around them while patrolling the area, and this observation allows both to intervene promptly in case of need and to deter potential attackers.

 

The Special Patrol (Italian: ''Pattuglia Speciale'', informally ''Pattuglione'') is a police patrol organized and executed for the specific needs of territorial control. Usually the "''Pattuglione''" is composed of a team of 10 to 15 agents on four or five cars. Such patrols can be arranged for the most different purposes: a type that is performed regularly, especially during the most unstable, is the patrol of the Political Office. Each patrol is coordinated by a Public Security Official, while on the field agents are controlled and commanded by a Subofficer; personnel may be drawn from the P.S., Local Police and MVSN. Special Patrols are conducted by an evident uniformed patrol, which is assisted by plain-clothes personnel.

 

 

The Commissariat of Public Security is a structure of the administration of public security, framed in the territorial organization of the Questura. The Commissariat of P.S. is an operational detachment of the Questura: inside the Commissariat are present, albeit smaller and tailored to the operational needs of the covered area, the same offices and services available to the Questura. There are two types of Commissariats: Sectional Commissariats, which are city police posts and cover provincial capital Sections of Public Security, and Detached Commissariats, which act as outposts in the Province. The operation jurisdiction of the latter ones is extended on their District, while the civilian police official in charge of the Commissariat is a Local Authority of Public Security only for the municipality which the Detached Commissariat is located in.<br>

 

 

 

* Colonel: 386.

Within the Republican Police Corps, the Marshals Major can be promoted to the appointment of a "Special Grade". These Subofficers are employed such as Subsection commanders of the Highway Police Service, platoon commanders at the police schools, chief clerks at the Inspectorate of the Republican Police Corps, at Area Inspectorates, at the Provincial Group commands, at the Compartment Commands of the Highway police service or other of particular importance. <br>

The promotion to Marshal Major - Special Grade is awarded as a result of a favourable outcome of an aptitude test. The qualifying examination consists of a written test of professional culture and in an internship for a period of one year at commands or departments. The maximum number of the Marshals Major - Special Grade is 500 units, and it is included in staff of the Marshals Major.<br>

Subofficers ranking Marshal Major - Special Grade have as their distinctive insignia a narrow golden stripe on jacket cuffs.

The role of Brigadier the intermediate troop rank of the CPR, roughly equivalent to the Non Commissioned Officers in Commonwealth and U.S. armies. All Brigadiers have the qualifications of Agent Public Security and Officer of Judicial Police. The category is divided into two ranks:

Agents and Appointees are the lowest tier of the Republican Police Corps; they have the qualifications of Agent of Public Security and of Agent of Judicial Police, and perform clerical duties with a reduced margin of initiative and discretion. They can also perform training tasks. Appointees can control and manage one or more agents. Chief Appointees can receive the status of Officer of Judicial Police, after passing the course of renovation The role of agents and assistants is divided into four ranks:

Student Agents attend a course lasting twelve months, including nine months of training at the Agents Training Centre, and three months of internship in departments or offices of Public Security. The Student Agents can not be used in operational services, unless there are exceptional requirements of public order or civil unrest. The Student Agents during the training period undergo aptitude selection for assignment to special services. At the end of the training period, the Director of the Centre expresses fitness judgement or the judgement of rejection. Passed Student Agents are appointed "Probationary Agents" and sent for the internship. At the end of the internship, "Probationary Agents" achieve the appointment of full Agent. They take an oath and are placed in the role.

=== Disciplinary Committee ===

The Republican Police Corps, due to its proximity and interpenetration with the civilian Public Security apparatus, has an its own way to enforce discipline and military regulations.

The Disciplinary Committee is composed of the Prefect, who convenes and presides over it, with the right to appoint a substitute, by the Quaestor or his Vicar and by a senior officer of the Corps, designated by the Area Inspector. An officer of the Republican Police Corps, appointed by the Area Inspector, of rank not higher than captain, perform the duties of secretary.<br>

In proceedings for disciplinary committees for Subofficers, some peculiarities are in force. Some people are excluded from the disciplinary committee: first of all, the exclusion is towards some officers, such as the superior who has submitted reports or carried out investigations into the events that led to the disciplinary proceedings or who has an office relating to the discipline of subofficers, or the superior in rank who in any way had a part in a previous judgement or the Disciplinary Committee for the same offence, or has been heard as a witness in the disciplinary matter referred to it, or officers attending training courses or subjected to criminal or disciplinary proceedings; secondly, some other people are ''de jure'' excluded, such as the relatives, up to the third degree, the injured or damaged person and their relatives, relatives of the Subofficer subject to the proceeding, up to the fourth degree inclusive.

=== General Staff ===

The General Staff of the Republican Police Corps is the operational arm of the Inspectorate for the Republican Police Corps, and it commanded by Chief of Staff - Second-in-Command, who in turn is assisted by the Deputy Chief of Staff. The Chief of the Staff directs and coordinates the work of various departments, submits to the General-Inspector the various issues, giving relevant particulars of the proceedings; in addition, the Chief of Staff can decide over the issues which as the delegated authority to govern. Finally, he exercises command of the General Staff. The General Staff six departments:

* GNR Military Police Unit;

* Unit I - "Force Organization": it has control and coordination functions in the organization, training and disciplinary matters;

* Unit II - "Operations", with control and coordination tasks in personnel assignment and management, given requirements and needs of the larger Administration of Public Security;

* Autonomous Unit, with logistics, administrative and security tasks within the same command.  

=== Air Service ===

The Air Service is the Republican Police Corps unit which provides air support to all police operations, ranging from routine surveillance to armed insertion of Paratroopers. The Service comprises all persons, aircraft, equipment, technical support and logistic infrastructures, whose primary function is to complement and enhance preventive action and control of land developed by the departments operating on the ground. Operational activities of the Aircraft Group consist of aerial reconnaissance missions, air support and medical aid. The mission is intended to support the needs of Territorial and Special Units. The Air Service is led by a Brigadier General and it is divided into:

* 1 Air Service Command with administrative, instruction, supervisory, logistical and technical advice tasks; the Command directly supports subordinate units. As technical responsible, a Divisional Director (Technical) of Public Security is attached to the Command.

* 10 Inter-provincial Aircraft Squadrons, dependants on the Group, homogeneously decentralized on national territory in order to ensure a timely intervention.

Squadrons operate according the technical directives issued by the Air Service Command and according the operational requirements of the various Questure. All Squadrons are connected to the "Situation Room" of the Command through a dedicated communication network on a national scale, which monitors the movement of individual aircraft and allows their management.

Special and Riot units are employed both for public order services (armed services, grand police services, crowd and riot control, counter-guerilla warfare and anti-banditism units). These units, serving as a sort of counter-balance for the National Republican Guard internal troops, are manned and directed exclusively by the Republican Police Corps and are directly employed by the Directorate General of Public Security.

Celere units are maintained in virtually self-sufficient compounds and are trained to work as a coordinated force. Officers live in dormitories within riot barracks compounds. Training is continuous and focuses on physical conditioning, mock battles, and tactical problems. Celere barracks are the Police places where the military atmosphere prevails: dress codes, behaviour standards, and rank differentiations are far more strictly adhered to than in the territorial Public Security apparatus.

The Special Unit of Public Security Paratroopers (It: ''Unità Speciale Paracadutisti di Pubblica Sicurezza'') is a battalion of operational rapid deployment, made up of men of great courage, significant ability, resistant to fatigue and of proven loyalty to Fascism. The Special Unit is head-quartered in Florence.<br />

* Company Command, which brings together offices and logistical and technical services.

The physical and technical-professional training is intense and exhausting and esprit de corps is very high; the Paratroopers Companies have environmental specializations, as well as the "Paratrooper Explorer" military qualification.

==== Celere Units ====

Celere Units (''Reparti Celere'') are units intended for use on the national territory for the protection of public order. They are also used to assist the local police, in conjunction with the MVSN or alone. Celere Units are commanded by a Colonel each, assisted by a Senior Officer acting as deputy and they depend directly on the General Inspector, while functionally they are directed by the Public Order Office.

A Celere Unit is administratively considered as a small Army Regiment (1-2 Battalions) and it organized into:

** Command Office, for the management of of general affairs, personnel, training, warehouse and armoury and for asset management and accounting;

** Vehicles Office for the Unit fleet management;

** Logistics Office for the needs of the catering and social and recreational activities;

** Health Office, for the protection of health.

* 5-7 Operational Companies, 200 men each.

The Provincial Authority of Public Security requires the use of Celere Units, and the Director General of Public Security orders the use, together with the special vehicles. The minimum operational level is the 10-men Team.

== Public Order services ==

Public Order services are governed by a special Quaestor's order, which regulates all the roles of employees in service, including officials in charge of the service itself. The Head of Service is always a civilian official, mostly part of the local Political Office, and he wears civilian clothes with the Tricolour Scarf; also all other civilian officials and troops of of the local Political Office and of the Mobile Squad (the detective department) who may be present are in civilian clothes; if a civilian official is placed in command of a troop, under the Head of Service's command, he wears a blue scarf, like military officers. All others wear the uniform. Only the Head of Service is in charge. Other officials and officers are under him in the roles specified in the Quaestor's order: they have command of their units, but are subordinate to the Head of Service.<br>

The Head of Service directs the service by giving rules on the objective to be pursued, while the commander of the unit is responsible for the practical part of the service. In handling violent demonstrations and disturbances, riot units are deployed ''en masse'' and individual action is strictly forbidden. Training is constant and focuses on physical conditioning, mock battles, and tactical problems.<br>

When, at meetings or gatherings in a public place, events take place or cries seditious or damaging the prestige of authority, or that may endanger public order or discipline are shout, or when in meetings or in assemblages predicted crimes are committed, meetings and gatherings can be dissolved. The exhibition of anti-fascist flags, emblems or symbols, or any device displaying concepts or ideas of subversion or rebellion or disdain toward the State, Government, Duce or authority in general is always considered as being a seditious event.<br>

When it is necessary to dissolve a meeting, the people gathered are invited to dissolve by Officers or Subofficers. If the three formal dissolution invitation calls (pronounced after the failing of informal calls) remain without effect, the dissolution is ordered with three distinct formal notices, each preceded by a trumpet blast; if the three trumpet injunctions remain without effect or they can not be made because revolt or opposition, the Head of Service orders that the meeting or gathering is dissolved by force.<br>

Both predominant mentality and operational approaches are heavily influenced by the fascist characterization of the Italian Social Republic and they are no way intended to guarantee the expression of a political pluralism: however, Italy is no longer a totalitarian State. Riot control follows this setting: although most rallies and demonstrations are carried out by opponents to the Government (but mostly protesters are Fascists who do not support the particular faction in power), the predominant contrast approach do not deny, in practice, the right to demonstrate. The Public Security apparatus (but not the Party armed units) tends to distinguish between "good protesters" (Fascists, peaceful, young, pragmatic, well-disciplined, with a direct interest in the confrontation and with a specific goal) and "bad protesters" (non-fascist or even anti-fascists, uninformed, violent, "professional agitators"); this distinction is present both in official rhetoric and in operational knowledge.<br>

A military atmosphere prevails—dress codes, behaviour standards, and rank differentiations are more strictly adhered to than in the regular police. Esprit de corps is inculcated with regular ceremonies and institutionalization of rituals such as applauding personnel dispatched to or returning from assignments and formally welcoming senior officers to the mess hall at all meals. They are also trained to take pride in their poise under stress.

=== Prevention strategies ===

In the case of international summits accompanied by protests, the strategy of physical isolation of the places of the summit is applied: the access roads to the city are reduced, it establishes a "yellow zone" with restrictions on freedom of expression and of circulation (intended to permit a limited and attentively watched protest) and a fortified red zone. In the most severe cases the closure of railway stations, airports and motorway exits is also ordered.

The instrument of the "Prefect's Decree of Provincial Expulsion" (''Decreto Prefettizio di Espulsione Provinciale'') is used to keep away from the place of the protest activists more dangerous. In the days before they searches of private homes and subversive hideouts are carried out.<br>

In preparation for major clashes, the propaganda offices spread unfounded and alarming news, with the aim of releasing a picture not differentiated of "subversives" as "bad protesters".

=== Combat strategies ===

Interventions carried out by both Celere units and MVSN are usually brutal, repressive and generalized, in order to dissolve the entire event or gathering. The action of the Celere is usually stiff, responsive and closed to the communication with the protesters. However, in some cases the prior consent and flexible approached is searched for. The dominant model, characterized by the linear escalation in the use of force, is given an high priority; innovative forms of protest are not tolerated, communication between Public Security and demonstrators is reduced to a minimum and there is a frequent coercive measures and use of ''agents provocateurs''.<br />

When a rally deviates from the authorized zones, policemen stand shoulder-to-shoulder, forming a shield wall, usually five to six deep. If protesters throw objects or rocks, agents form a testudo formation. Individual action is strictly forbidden. Three-person units sometimes perform reconnaissance duties, but operations are carried out by squads of ten, platoons of thirty, and companies of two hundreds. Front ranks are trained to open to allow passage of special squads to rescue captured police or to engage in arrest-aimed assaults. Each person wears a radio with an earpiece to hear commands given simultaneously to the formation.<br>

In the case of confrontations between police and protesters, the safety distance is 25 meters; failure to comply with this limit triggers the transition from rest to early warning; when protesters approaching within 20 meters, the units move from early warning alarm; if the protesters approaching within 15 meters, units react and charge. This procedure is used only when the police protect a fixed point, or when the unit guards a prohibited path; units charge without provocation or any sign of approach if they have to forcefully dissolve gatherings.<br>

Charges are directed towards the violent groups, if it is possible to separate them from the peaceful groups. During the dissolution of events or gatherings, the Celere units make massive use of tear gas and stinging. To attack large violent gatherings, armoured vehicles are used by launching them on the crowd at high speed. This particular and extreme measure is usually ordered by the highest authorities present, and it is usually preceded by the use (if possible) of non-lethal weapons, such as self-propelled water cannons, or similar vehicles; however, on one hand such vehicles are all armoured, and can be launched against the crowd if necessary, and on the other hand the non-lethal weapons can be easily replaced with conventional fire weapons by a workshop.<br>

The charges are aimed at rejection of the mass of protesters.

The Celere Unit is organized into contingents, deployed in sensitive areas of the operating theatre and located in a safe and secure positioning and quick intervention areas, from which it is possible, through predefined paths, intervene in all zones assigned to do so any intervention. The contingent is always placed close to the vehicles assigned. The use of MVSN and other auxiliary units in the management of hard-line intervention is variously organized according to the particular circumstances. Use of mounted units is intended to complement the device for the maintenance of order and public security. Only in very rare cases, there are the conditions for safe use of such units, as the manoeuvrering space adjacent intervention areas. The effectiveness of these units becomes apparent only under certain logistical and environmental conditions: wide view, manoeuvrability, ability to control the force of an impact and psychological effect on the masses. The use of such operational resources goes across a number of limitations. The use of mounted units is intended to act as a complement the instrument for the maintenance of order and public security, or to contain the crowd to be dispersed.<br>

The use of canine units is a significant resource for the benefit of the police to protect public order: they can increase the overall operational capabilities and often are a significant deterrent. The operational capability of these resources is particularly effective outside of the sport events, being careful to not deploy them in isolation, but integrated in a larger instrument and under the direct responsibility of the head of service. The minimum operational integrated entity, therefore, is not less than 2 squads. It should be emphasized the need to maintain the physical or mental integrity of the dog in order to be able to optimize the energy in the event of an intervention aimed at both containment of the crowd and the dispersal of the mob.<br>

During the demonstrations, the police are in the head, tail and sides of the rallies. Often, agents are deployed at strategic points, where there are sensitive targets.

Student agents, Subofficers Cadets and Officers Cadets may, exceptionally, be employed in the service of public order at the behest of the General Inspector of the Corps. In these exceptional cases, a certain number of Cadets are requested to each School or Academy to be sent where the reinforcement is needed. Obviously they must be already sworn agents or officers of public security. The various School Companies decide who send. The more difficult the event is, the more people need to be sent. Those who may have special needs declare them and usually they are not considered in the search for volunteers to go, the others "volunteer". If volunteers are more than the students needed, the Company Commander decides who to send; if volunteers are not enough to fill the requirements, the Commander finds other "volunteers".

Celere units use a series of equipment items, in order to enable policemen to successfully contrast and quell any riot or protest and, at the same time, protect the police officer.<br>

The primary offensive weapon is the 74 cm-long straightstick baton. It is a long cylinder with a wrapped grip, with a slightly thicker shaft and rounded tip. They are made of aluminium covered by rubber. A variant is a 91 cm-long "riot batons", used in civil disturbances by officers mounted on horseback. Other PS personnel use the expandable baton, which is easier to carry while in a vehicle. It is not permitted to hit with the baton the skull, sternum, spine, or groin unless such an attack is unavoidable. The primary targets are nerves and large muscles.<br>

Riot shields are protection devices deployed by Celere units. Riot shields are long enough to cover an average sized man from the top of the head to the knees. They are used in riot control, to protect the user from shrapnel, thrown projectiles, and splash from various weapons such as a Molotov cocktail. They can also be used as short-ranged hand-to-hand combat weapons to push back rioters. Riot shields are constructed from transparent high-impact plastic to enable the bearer to see incoming thrown objects, so the shield can quickly be positioned to deflect them away from the policeman's body. Riot shields are rectangular with rounded corners, curved in the horizontal cross-section to shed thrown objects. The size is 70 cm to 100 cm.

In the operations against protesters and those who commit serious violence or incite them against the police, the figure of the Prefect is joined by that of the local military commander. If it becomes necessary to cope with sudden attacks carried by demonstrators, who endanger the lives of members of the Armed Forces or those of the MVSN legionnaires (attempts to dominate and disarmament, ambushes, etc..), the unit commander can certainly give the order to open fire. This shooting must be directed against the leaders or those who commit serious violence, or incite to, against the police, and not indiscriminately into the crowd. The use of arms must follow the policy that the action of one who is called to restore order must be more vigorous than that carried out by those who upset the order.

Civilian officials are the emanation of the Authority of Public Security, and normally they do not wear uniforms; however, in some specified occasions, also civilian officials of Public Security have to wear police uniforms; these uniforms are the same model of the uniforms used by the Republican Police Corps. It should be noted that the Officials career of the Public Security Administration has the rank of Director General (Rank IV), but at central level this rank is replaced by the rank of Prefect, 2nd Class (Rank IV). Directors General, 1st Class are classed into Rank IV, but they do are senior in rank to the rest of Rank IV positions. Prefects 2nd Class assigned to Public Security positions come exclusively from the Officials of Public Security promoted to the rank of Prefect and they count within the 20% of Prefects which do not come from the Prefectorial career; in some Divisional positions, Prefects, 1st Class are appointed.<br>

The Chief of Police - Director General of Public Security and his Deputy are Prefects, 1st Class (Rank III, drawn from police career) but they are senior in rank to other Prefects, 1st Class, to Directors General, 1st Class (which is an internal subdivision of the rank Director General) and to Lieutenant General Inspector of the Republican Police Corps.