Special Unit of Public Security Paratroopers (Kingdom of Italy)

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Special Unit of Public Security Paratroopers
Reparto Speciale Paracadutisti di Pubblica Sicurezza
Reparto Celere - RSI - Insegna.png
Active 1955-present
Country Kingdom of Italy
Branch Royal Police Corps
Role Riot control; counter-insurgency
Size 800 troops ca.
Part of C.P.R. Mobile Forces
Garrison/HQ Italo Balbo Barracks, Pavia
Nickname Parà Blu
(Blue Paras)

The Special Unit of Public Security Paratroopers (Italian: Reparto Speciale Paracadutisti di Pubblica Sicurezza) is a Royal Police Corps paratroopers unit.

History

After the African War the Italian Armed Forces and Italy itself went through a convulsive period, full of tensions and dangers for internal security.

Some regions were reservoirs of weapons and subversive movements that made themselves abusers and violence of all kinds, and the police, under staff and still suffering from the institutional trauma and the war trials could do very little, without uniform uniforms and without means. , with semi-destroyed archives, often arriving themselves to be attacked and disarmed.

It was necessary to set up an operational unit of rapid employment, made up of men of great courage, considerable ability, resistant to the efforts and proven loyalty to the Italian Social Republic. Matteucci, the first head of the Corps, remembered the epic of El Alamein and with a happy intuition, at the beginning of 1955, he decided to set up a "Special Unit", contacting the former paratroopers and offering them enlistment in this new great unity, getting an enthusiastic response.

The Unit was initially based in Aversa (NA) and immediately began a hard training away from prying eyes and ears. The classification was likewise secured by parachuting officers who were veterans of war. The Command was assigned to Major Mario Gajeri. The Unit was thus formed:

  • a company of paratroopers, equipped with light weapons, consisting of machine guns and submachine guns;
  • a motor-armored company that had 9 armored cars and a platoon of motorcycle paratroopers armed with submachine guns
  • a command company that gathered the staff of the offices and the logistic and technical services.

The region where the most frequent were the violence and the aggressions to the citizens and the Police forces, with relevant problems of public order turned out to be Tuscany and the Casio Decio Canzio was available in Scandicci (FI), the Department was transferred sanctioning the official constitution on September 29, 1955.

On 1 February 1958 the Unit assumed the name of IV Special Celere Unit; on 1 February 1965 the name was reverted back to Special Unit of Public Security Paratroopers and the unit was transferred in Pavia.

The Special Unit of Public Security Paratroopers has been engaged in numerous operations both in metropolitan Italy and overseas or in various theaters of external operations. Thus, for example, it was involved both in the maintenance of order alongside other Celere units during the episode of the Varese nuclear power plant (1978-1981) and in Somalia where it actively participated in the implementation and the smooth conduct of the referendum that brought the corporatist reforms on 27 June 1974.

With the police reforms of the 1980s, the unit retained its paratrooper status and its particularities: separate recruitment, maroon beret, etc, but its missions shifted to support of special operations. In 1983, the Special Unit of Public Security Paratroopers received among its main attributions the support and the support of the special intervention units. Over the years, this mission lost relative importance and the unit was also required to develop special know-how in the areas of security-protection and intelligence-gathering for the benefit of other units of the security establishment.

Mission

Its missions are generally large-scale operations against terrorism and organized crime. It was also used for maintaining public order, for searches for persons in difficult environments, and for reinforcing the security of French diplomatic missions abroad. One of the unit's platoons specialised in VIP protection.

Missions entrusted to the Special Unit of Public Security Paratroopers are of three broad types:

  • Military duties (typical of paratroopers):
    • Preventive occupation and defence of positions;
    • Guerrilla warfare and counterinsurgency;
    • Support to contingents of the C.P.R:. or Carabinieri in operations abroad, also with military police functions;
    • Entry force;
    • Quick reaction force;
  • Police duties:
    • Support to territorial units of the Carabinieri;
    • Riot control (particularly difficult or complex situations);
    • Security at diplomatic missions in "at risk" countries;
    • VIP escort;
  • Training: training and education of Carabinieri of special units.

The Special Unit of Public Security Paratroopers is a crowning units for special operations (Italian: Unità di coronamento per le operazioni speciali), i.e. is tasked with protection and belting of special forces, as well as operational support to Special Forces units.

Organization

The Special Unit of Public Security Paratroopers is considered an enhanced Battalion. The consists of:

  • Command Office: Commander support;
  • Training Unit;
  • Command and Services Company: logistics support;
    • Paratroopers Battalion "Audacia":
    • Command Platoon
    • 3 Companies
  • Proximity Support Section

See also