Investigations
Criminal Police Central Directorate
Central Anticrime Directorate
Central Directorate for the Anti-Terrorism Police
Central Directorate for Antidrug Services
Central Directorate for Road Police, Railway Police, Postal and Communications Police and the Special Units of the Polizia
di Stato
Central Directorate for Immigration and Border Police
Anti-Mafia Investigations
Directorate
Central Interagency Office for Personal Security
Criminal Police Central Directorate
Direzione centrale della polizia criminale
The Criminal Police Central Directorate, set up in 1984, deals with the coordination of criminal police investigations in Italy and international cooperation against crime by sharing information and operational strategies. It is also responsible for cooperating witness programmes and coordinating general prevention policies and control of territory at a national level.
This Directorate includes:
International Police Cooperation Service (Servizio per la Cooperazione Internazionale di Polizia)
An interagency service for international operational police cooperation. It also comprises the National Central Bureau-Interpol, the Italian
Europol National Unit and the S.I.RE.N.E. Division.
Criminal Analysis Service (Servizio Analisi Criminale)
An interagency service for strategic criminal analysis.
Central Witness Protection Service (Servizio Centrale di Protezione)
Responsible for witness protection
programmes.
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Central Anticrime Directorate
Direzione centrale anticrimine
This Directorate (DAC) was set up in 2005 to fight major crime and organized crime. Its mission is to coordinate the Polizia di Stato investigative services, which used to be under the authority of the interagency Direzione Centrale della Polizia Criminale.
In the most complex cases, the DAC cooperates with the criminal investigations units operating in every Questura.
The DAC includes:
Central Operations Service (Servizio Centrale Operativo)
The central unit coordinating analysis, investigations and operations developed by Polizia di Stato investigations departments.
Territory Control Service (Servizio Controllo del Territorio)
It is entrusted with general prevention and territory control, for a more effective and efficient use of police patrol cars.
Forensic Science Police Service (Servizio di Polizia Scientifica)
It supports investigations thanks to its experts in biology, chemistry, physics, fingerprinting, forensic medicine and more. It operates all over
Italy through its Interregional, Regional and Provincial offices.
The Dac participates in an international exchange programme for organized crime experts, and hosts liaison officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the French Police.
Central Directorate for the Anti-Terrorism Police
Direzione
centrale della polizia di prevenzione
The fight against terrorism is entrusted to this Central Directorate (DCPP) at a central level, and to DIGOS units operating in every Questura.
DCPP activities focus on political extremism, terrorism, group violence, including violence at sports events.
The DCPP also controls the NOCS (Central Security Operations Unit - Nucleo operativo centrale di sicurezza), an elite team trained for high-risk operations, such as the rescue of hostages and raids on criminals and terrorists in any type of environment.
Central Directorate for Antidrug Services
Direzione centrale per i
servizi antidroga
The Central Directorate for Antidrug Services is an interagency organization (staffed with personnel from Polizia di Stato, Arma dei Carabinieri e Guardia di Finanza) coordinating and planning police narcotics operations in Italy, as well as international drug investigations
Central Directorate for Road Police, Railway Police, Postal and Communications Police and the
Special Units of the Polizia di Stato
Direzione centrale per la polizia stradale, ferroviaria, postale e dei
reparti speciali
This Directorate comprises Road Police, Railway Police, Postal and Communications Police and the Special Units of the Polizia di Stato.
Road Police Service (Servizio Polizia Stradale)
Road Police officers patrol the 7,000 km of the Italian motorway network and major roads. Road police tasks involve preventing and ascertaining
traffic violations; assessing road accidents; rescue operations; traffic regularity and safety.
Railway Police Service (Servizio Polizia Ferroviaria)
Railway Police prevent and counteract crime on trains and railway premises. In particular, Railway Police officers patrol and surveil trains, train
stations and railway lines, prosecute offences related to safety and regularity of the railways.
Railway Police is a member of Railpol, an international network of the organisations responsible for policing the railways in EU Member States,
promoting international railway police cooperation in Europe, to prevent threats and guarantee the effectiveness of measures against cross-border
crime.
Postal and Communications Police Service (Servizio Polizia Postale e delle Comunicazioni)
The Postal and Communications Police Service deals with offences and violations related to mail and telecommunications.
Its mission includes the fight against online child pornography, hacking, copyright protection, computer piracy, e-commerce, telephone fraud, and
postal offences.
Communications Police officers participate in several permanent hi-tech crime working groups on a national and international level.
Special Units (Reparti Speciali)
Mobile units (Reparti mobili)
The 15 Mobile Units, based in the major Italian cities, are special units trained to cope with crowd management all over Italy (demonstrations,
rallies, sports events, etc.).
Bomb disposal experts (Artificieri)
The Police bomb disposal experts include Explosive ordnance disposal specialists (EOD) and Improvised explosive device disposal specialists
(I.E.D.D.). Usually they work in pairs and are deployed to clear areas as well as to defuse, remove and destroy explosive devices with the aid of
sophisticated equipment.
Snipers (Tiratori scelti)
Sharpshooters are deployed to protect dignitaries and sensitive targets at a distance. Sophisticated equipment ensures shooting precision and
accuracy.
NBCR Experts (Specialisti NBCR)
NBCR Experts are deployed when there is a risk of nuclear, bacteriological, chemical and/or radiological contagion which may cause harm to people,
animals or property.
Canine units (Cinofili)
The Canine units support police officers dealing with crowd control, narcotics, explosives, sabotage cases, and rescue operations. Currently about
250 dogs are employed in the 29 teams covering in the various areas of activity.
Mounted police units (Squadre a cavallo)
Mounted units carry out prevention and surveillance tasks especially in parks and archeological areas of major cities.
The Mounted Police Band take part in parades and special events.
Horses and riders of the Polizia di Stato have participated in a great number of national and international horseshows with outstanding results.
Air service units (Reparti volo)
Airplanes and helicopters of the 11 Air service units operate all over Italy and fly to ensure citizens' security from the sky: rescue operations,
monitoring, public order, territory control, patrolling roads and motorways, acting as a support in investigations of contraband smuggling, illegal
immigration and criminal cases.
Nautical squads (Squadre nautiche)
Nautical squads patrol coasts, territorial waters within the 12-mile limit, and inland waters including lakes and rivers, with the support of the
Scuba Diving unit.
Central Directorate for Immigration and Border Police
Direzione centrale dell'immigrazione e delle frontiere
The mission of the Central Directorate for Immigration and Border Police focuses on immigration and border issues, developing innovative strategies
to counter illegal immigration from an international perspective.
The tasks of border police include controlling individuals and verifying their identity documents and baggage when entering and leaving Italy through its land, sea and air borders. Border police officers are also engaged in preventing and fighting crime in border areas.
Anti-Mafia Investigations Directorate
Direzione Investigativa Antimafia
The Anti-Mafia Investigations Directorate (DIA) is an interagency investigative organization specializing in mafia investigations all over Italy. The DIA mission is to coordinate all proactive investigations into organized crime in all its forms.
Central Interagency Office for Personal Security
Ufficio centrale interforze per la sicurezza personale - UCIS
This interagency office deals with the protection of people exposed to particular situations of risk related to terrorism, organized crime, drug
trafficking, radioactive materials, biological or chemical weapons etc. The UCIS also deals with the protection of Italian and foreign dignitaries
and personalities.