Poliziotti

Poliziotti are police officers in Italy. The term poliziotto is used to refer to members of several law-enforcement bodies who work to maintain public order, enforce laws, prevent and investigate crime, and protect citizens and property. Poliziotti can serve in national agencies or in local municipal police units, and the plural form poliziotti is commonly used to describe a group of officers.

The main police forces in Italy include the Polizia di Stato, the Carabinieri, the Guardia di Finanza, the Polizia Penitenziaria, and local policing bodies such as the Polizia Locale (or Municipale). Polizia di Stato is a civilian national police force under the Ministry of the Interior. The Carabinieri is a military corps with broad police duties and operates at both national and local levels. Guardia di Finanza is a militarized police force focused on financial, economic, customs, and border-control matters. Polizia Penitenziaria guards prisons and handles related security and immigration tasks. Local Polizia Locale operates under mayors and authorities at the municipal level.

Duties performed by poliziotti include crime prevention and investigation, traffic control and road safety, public-order operations, crowd management, and border checks when required. Some forces maintain specialized divisions and units for specific threats, such as terrorism or organized crime; for example, DIGOS serves the Polizia di Stato and ROS serves the Carabinieri in investigations of general and serious crimes and terrorism.

Training and career progression typically involve competitive recruitment through examinations, followed by training at national or force-specific academies. Officers may pursue uniformed policing roles or investigative assignments, with ongoing education and opportunities to join specialized units.

Historically, the modern Italian police system developed in the post-unification period of the 19th century, evolving into a structure with multiple forces sharing jurisdiction in public security, criminal police, and border control.