As a result of the particular combination of Member of ...
... the Armed Forces and Police Authority, the Carabinieri Force has the following responsibilities:
a. Military (Art.1, Act 2, Law no. 78/2000)
- defence of the nation, its institutions and resources in the case of a national
disaster;
- participation in military operations in Italy and abroad, policing operations abroad, and through international
mandates and agreements, reconstruction of local police forces in areas where peacekeeping forces are present;
exclusive
function
of
security
and
military
police
for
the
Armed
Forces;
functions
of
judicial
military
police
for
Military
Justice
bodies;
- the security of Italian diplomatic institutions including military institutions abroad;
- assistance to military personnel involved in institutional activities in the national territory;
- mobilization services.
b. Police (Art 3, Act 2/3, D.Lgs. no. 297/2000)
functions
of
judicial
and
public
order
and
security
policing;
- national civilian protection structure guaranteeing continuity of service in disaster areas and aid to the local
population.
The Carabinieri Force is linked to the Ministry of Defence...
... but retains it autonomy, in its role of Armed Force, Military Police Force, and
responsibility for public order and security. The Force depends, through its Commander General, on the
Defence Chief of Staff for its military duties, and functionally on the Ministry of Internal Affairs for public
order and security.
Various specialist departments have operational reporting lines to the following Ministries:
a. Ministry of Health - for the prevention of crime endangering public health (Comando Carabinieri per la
Sanità);
b. Ministry of the Environment - for the prevention of damage to the environment (Comando Carabinieri per la
Tutela dell’Ambiente);
c. Ministry of Cultural Heritage - for the prevention of crimes related to items of artistic, historical and
archaeological interest (Comando Carabinieri Patrimonio Culturale);
d. Ministry of Labour and Social Policies - for the correct application of employment and social service
legislation (Comando Carabinieri per la Tutela del Lavoro);
e. Ministry of Agriculture Policies - for the control and prevention of fraud in the agriculture and food sector
including European Union grants (Comando Carabinieri Politiche Agricole);
f. Ministry of Foreign Affairs – protection of Italian diplomatic institutions overseas and application of special
immigration laws (Comando Carabinieri presso il Ministero Affari Esteri).
g. Other departments are attached to constitutional organizations such as those pertaining to the President of the
Republic, the Senate, Parliament, Law Courts, the Council of Ministers, the National Council of Economy and
Labour, and therefore report directly to the individual organization.
h. The departments and offices of the Carabinieri involved in inter-force defence, both in Italy and abroad, or
personnel seconded to branches of the Armed Forces report directly to the relevant Commander who in turn is
responsible to the Defence Chief of Staff and to the Defence Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.
i. For the role played in the Judiciary Police, the Carabinieri report, regarding operational activities, to the
relevant Legal Authority according to the penal procedure code.
Because of the pluralistic nature of public law and order management ...
... in Italy with two major Forces, namely the Police and the Carabinieri, a
definite procedure is required for coordination purposes in order to carry out these duties efficiently.
The system is defined in the Law no. 121, dated 1st April 1981, which requires a model of coordination and
close unified cooperation to obtain the best possible result for all the Forces concerned and to strengthen each
individual component.
The governing body, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, responsible for public security relies on National
Committee for Law and Order as well as the Department of Public Security for reference.
The Committee is presided over by the Minister of Internal Affairs and it includes an Under-Secretary of State
appointed by the Minister as Vice President, Chief of Police, Director General of Public Security, Commander
General of the Carabinieri Force and the Commander General of the Revenue Corps. The Director of Prisons
and Director of the Forestry Commission also take part.
The structure of the departments provides the technical-operative coordination of the Police Forces,
consequently inter-force and related activities can be found within this structure, in particular in the Office for
Coordination and Planning of Police Forces.
This office is occupied with improving and planning public law and
order services and optimizing human and economic resources. Locally, the Prefect is the main authority for
public security and has general responsibility for public law and order in the Province relying on the Provincial
Law and Order Committee for reference.
This Committee is presided over by the Prefect and includes the Chief of Police, Mayor of the major local town,
President of the Province, Provincial Commanders of the Carabinieri Force and the Revenue Corps, Provincial
Officer of the Forestry Commission as well as Mayors from other local provincial towns when discussion is
required on local issues.
This organization is made up of departments dedicated ...
... to highly specialized tasks which are handled either in order of
priority or exclusively as a support function for the territorial organization and reports to Carabinieri Specialist
Mobile Unit Command “Palidoro” which is based in Rome and divided into:
- Mobile Unit Division located in Rome on whom the following entities depend:
. 1st Mobile Brigade based in Rome which consists of 11 Battalions (1) and the Carabinieri Mounted Regiment,
dedicated to public law and order, the support of environmental services and control of the territory. The
Operational Intervention Companies (C.I.O.) operate under the command of Battalions in Milan, Florence,
Naples and Bari, and with the expertise of this permanent contingent and its territorial experience these
Companies are able to deal with ordinary as well as extraordinary critical incidents and situations involving the
safety of the public in specific areas of the country. The Force is noted for its Carabinieri Mounted Regiment,
inherited from the Italian cavalry tradition, and well known and appreciated all over the world for its equestrian
displays
and
competitions.
. 2nd Mobile Brigade situated in Livorno consisting of:
.. Special Intervention Group (G.I.S.) under the command of Chief of Staff of the Carabinieri General
Headquarters. It specializes in intervention in the case of hijacking, release of hostages and terrorist activities.
Over the years the Unit has gained the reputation of being one of the best specialist departments in its sector on
an
international
level;
.. Carabinieri Parachutists Regiment “Tuscania” located in Livorno with members in permanent service with
highly
specialized
skills
and
versatility;
.. 7th Carabinieri “Trentino Alto Adige” Regiment and the 13th Carabinieri “Friuli Venezia Giulia” Regiment
located
respectively
in
Laives
(BZ)
and
Gorizia.
(1) The Headquarters of the 11 Battalions are: 1st Piedmont; 2nd Liguria; 3rd Lombardia; 4th Veneto; 5th
Emilia Romagna; 6th Tuscania. This organization is made up of departments dedicated to highly specialized
tasks which are handled either in order of priority or exclusively as a support function for the territorial
organization and reports to Carabinieri Specialny; 8th Lazio; 9th Sardinia; 10th Campania; 11th Puglia and
12th Sicily.
- Specialist Unit Division located in Rome, consisting of highly qualified personnel working and reporting to
Ministries for the safeguard of socially sensitive issues:
. Carabinieri Healthcare Command founded in 1962, with the task of
controlling hygiene relating to the processing, sale and distribution of food and drink to protect the healthcare of
the public, has gradually increased activities and operates in 3 Groups: Rome, Milan and Naples, and in 38
Units;
. Carabinieri Environmental Care Command is split into 3 Groups, Rome, Turin and Naples, and 29 Units. This
department, founded in 1986 is involved in the protection of land, water and the atmosphere against pollution;
dangerous
substances;
protection
of
plants
and
wildlife;
. Carabinieri National Heritage Command was founded in 1969 and operates through 12 Units situated in
Palermo, Monza, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Naples, Bari, Turin, Genoa, Cosenza, Sassari and Ancona plus a
Sub-Unit
located
in
Siracusa. Its
role
is
to
protect
the
national
heritage;
. Carabinieri for Agriculture Policies Command has been in operation since 1994 with 3 Units situated in Rome
(Parma and Salerno still to be activated). Its role is to prevent crime against agriculture legislation;
. Carabinieri Labour Department Command with 101 Units at Provincial level, excluding Trento and Bolzano,
responsible
for
the
adherence
to
employment
and
environmental
legislation;
. Carabinieri Foreign Affairs Command involved in the security of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and of
national and overseas diplomatic representatives. Those areas of higher risk are further reinforced by member of
the
Carabinieri
Parachutists
Regiment
“Tuscania”.
The following also form part of the Specialist Unit Division:
. Carabinieri Bank of Italy Command formed in 1982, with 93 Provincial Units responsible for security and the
escort of valuables with representation and surveillance in all branches of the Bank;
. Carabinieri Currency Anti-Counterfeiting Command in operation since October 1992 and integrated into the
Bank of Italy with the responsibility of identifying and investigating into the circulation of false banknotes in
the
organized
crime
sector;
. Carabinieri Scientific Investigation Department (Ra.CIS) for scientific investigation as requested by the
Judiciary, Carabinieri Commands, or other authorized bodies with 4 Units based in Rome, Parma, Messina and
Cagliari and 29 Sections at a provincial level involved in research and development into the most modern
international
techniques
which
can
be
used
for
investigative
purposes;
. Carabinieri Helicopter Group of 15 Units and 1 Detachment guaranteeing operational cover for the national
territory with a response time of 30 minutes. The helicopters are of the light or multi-purpose class (with one or
two turbines). The pilots and specialist personnel are chosen on a strict selection basis after qualifying from the
Military Aeronautic School. The Units operate as a back-up for other land based services and as judiciary
police, law, order and security enforcers as well as providing emergency transport.
- Carabinieri Special Operations Group (R.O.S.) was founded in 1990 with responsibility for dealing with
organized crime, consisting of subversive activities, terrorism and the more complex types of crime. An AntiCrime Section is found in every city District Public Prosecutor’s Office. The Carabinieri Special Operations
Group has a central structure, 26 Anti-Crime Squads and 4 Units.
The Carabinieri TPC
The Carabinieri Headquarters for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (Comando
Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale - TPC) was instituted in 1969, one year prior to the UNESCO Paris
Convention in 1970, whereby all UNESCO member States were invited to institute specific services with a
view to protecting the cultural heritage of the individual nations.
The TPC is a part of the Ministry of Culture and plays a role regarding the safety and protection of the national
cultural heritage, through the prevention and repression of the multiple interrelated criminal activities.
According to the italian legislation, regarding the protection of cultural heritage the Carabinieri TPC is the
centre of information and analysis for all Italian law enforcement agencies.
The organizational chart foreseen, at central level, a Staff Office and an Operational Department (split into three
Sections: Archaeology, Antique, Modern Art and Counterfeiting) and, on a territorial level, 12 Branches with
regional or interregional jurisdiction plus a Sub-Unit in Sicily.
As regards its international scope, in addition to working in the sphere of international police cooperation by
INTERPOL, the TPC has other responsibilities, such as providing specialized support to peace-keeping
operations, such as in Iraq from 2003 to 2006; training of police officers and customs officials in countries that
submit such a request; consulting to the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, in respect of activities
centered on retrieving archaeological relics belonging to the national heritage and exhibited in museums and
private collections abroad.
Since the 1980s, the TPC has been using an auxiliary instrument in its investigations: the
“Database of illegally removed cultural artefacts”, provided by Article 85 of the Legislative Decree no. 42 dated
22 January 2004 (Code of the Cultural and Landscape Heritage), which contains information on the artefacts to
recover, of Italian or foreign provenance, and on related criminal events. The use of sophisticated computer
technology has made the database as reference point for the entire Headquarters and for the other Italian and
foreign law-enforcement agencies allowing to conduct a careful analysis of criminal phenomenon concerning
the illicit trafficking of cultural property