The Police in Rome

If you are like most visitors to Rome, you will probably be struck by the amount of police on the streets here in the Eternal City.  Whether standing guard in a piazza, surveying the scene from an armed van, or whizzing by in patrol cars or motorcycle brigades, there are snazzily-uniformed, heavily armed law enforcement officials everywhere in the historical center. Some wear red and black, some wear grey and blue. Who is who, and who is responsible for what? Enjoy Rome Magazine explains the difference between the Carabinieri,  the Polizia, and those other guys, the Guardie di Finanza.

The Carabinieri are the men (and a few women, allowed in the corps since December, 2000) in dark blue, with the red stripe down the side of the trousers. Pretty sharp uniforms, wouldn’t you say? That’s because they’re designed by Valentino. Carabinieri squad cars are dark blue with red trim, and their horses are usually bay in color. The Polizia have blue jackets and bluish grey trousers with a fuchsia pinstripe running down the side. A fuchsia pinstripe? For a police uniform? In the 1980s Giorgio Armani thought it was a good idea.  Polizia squad cars are light blue, dark blue, and white, and their horses are usually grey or white.

The Carabinieri are actually members of the Italian Army, which is the major difference between them and the Polizia, who are civilians. The Carabinieri in fact are the most senior corps of the Army, dating back to 1814. The Polizia’s history in Italy only began in 1852, when it was called the Corps of Guards of Public Security. Women were allowed in the Polizia in 1959, albeit with limited duties and positions; since 1981 women have enjoyed equal rights in the corps.

In terms of jurisdiction and power, however, the Carabinieri are equal to the Polizia. The two police forces cooperate in the fight against crime and the maintenance of law and order, so for instance, a tourist whose wallet is stolen on the bus can go to either a Carabinieri or Polizia station to report the theft. A good demonstration of the identical jurisdiction of the Carabinieri and Polizia is at the Synagogue in the Jewish Ghetto. Along the south and west gates of the temple you’ll find heavily armed Carabinieri officers and mobile units, and along the north and east gates of the same temple you’ll see similarly outfitted Polizia members and vehicles. Despite the supposed collaboration of the two corps, however, the Carabinieri and the Polizia maintain separate radio systems, and if you have an emergency, you can choose between dialing 112 (Carabinieri) and 113 (Polizia). There is even a bit of rivarly between the two-”Why do they have such big red stripes down their trousers?” asks a a classic anti-Carabinieri joke. The answer, of course, is so that they can find their pockets.

The Polizia in Italy are divided into departments by city, but some small towns do not have their own Polizia. In those cases the more numerous and widespread Carabinieri provide the police protection.

Feel free to ask Carabinieri or Polizia officers (called poliziotti in Italian) to pose with you for a photo. They are usually  happy to oblige.

To confuse things even more, Italy has a third branch of law enforcement called the Guardie di Finanza. (They wear rather non-descript, non-designer grey uniforms.) In theory, the responsibility of these officers is limited to crime of a financial nature-tax evasion, etc.-but by some inexplicable provision in the law, the Guardie di Finanza have just as much authority to arrest, say, a tourist bathing in the Trevi Fountain, as the Carabinieri or Polizia.

You might also notice some men and women dressed like the crew of the Love Boat, in blue and white uniforms, often with a white plastic hat. These are the vigili urbani, or traffic police. They write parking tickets, tow cars, and fine people for driving in the historical center without the proper permit. Needless to say, the vigili urbani really stifle the spirit of the average Roman driver.

Last but not least are the famous Swiss Guards, who guard and protect the pope and the Apostolic Palace.  Their uniforms may not be Armani or Valentino, but ooh, those pantaloons.

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