Everything you might have wanted to know about police – or even didn’t want to know. It’s interesting, and they all have different cars and uniforms too.
Carabinieri, Vigili, Agenti di Polizia locale, Poliziotti, or Fiamme gialle, Guardia di Finanza — the number of police of various types in Italy is the highest in the European Union per capita. Amazingly, most people do not seem to consider them the enemy if evidence of them chatting amiably with people on the street is any indication.
But – why all those? I’ve always wondered, so in case you wonder as well – the Guardia di Finanza is apparently about drug smuggling, and money laundering, immigration, border protection, all state police under one ministry of Economics and Finance. I think they are also responsible for ships, boat security, and all things coastal, of which there is a whole lot. And the Gruppi Sportivi Fiamme Gialle is the sport department of the Italian financial police force Guardia di Finanza, called the yellow flame, charged with keeping mafia out of sports, maybe. Why that name I do not know, but their skiers have yellow uniform gear, so that may be an easy clue.
Arma di Carabinieri is a national police force, like the army and navy, stationed everywhere and with the best uniforms. When dressed to impress, the Carabinieri are very handsome. They get their name from the carbines they carry (or carried – now they carry Barettas ) and can be sent to other countries as needed for help. They are a military police force with some respectability for among other things, helping the Italian resistance during their last war ( WWll). Trusted and admired.
Poliziotti are neighborhood patrols who act along with carabinieri to patrol neighborhoods on foot, by car, and by bike. Police seem to be people to whom one might turn for help, and all police seem to not be considered with slurs like pigs!
Polizia di Stato (State Police) are also seen everywhere as another military force, but a civilian one, responsible for highways and the security of railways, bridges, and waterways.
There are some others I’ve never seen – Polizia Penitenziaria – specialized forces, and the Direzione Investigativa Antimafia (or DIA), and obviously, they are the anti-mafia force charged with keeping the mafia out of government. Each commune – or municipality also has its own Polizia Locale, or Municipal Police, and Guardie Zoofile – animal welfare police,and another that is kin to the CIA. and I don’t know where parking police fit in.
Sunday, yesterday, was a day spent in Genova. We met with some friends, walked up and down this city built on hills, shopped a little, and trained back successfully, not losing ourselves. The trains are so enjoyable, and people seem to feel secure even at night, although video surveillance undoubtedly helps. We had digital tickets and have yet to be asked to show them. Trenitalia is the national service, but many other companies share the same tracks – all displayed on the screen posts equally at the train stations. Transportation works well with lots of inexpensive opportunities to get anywhere.
Our windows are open, the weather is sweet, and everything is in bloom. Knowing how lovely our time has been, it is hard to leave. A week from today, we begin our journey home by first picking up a car, packing, and getting ready. We’ll return it in Milan. We have little hope of fitting everything back into the suitcases we came with, so may need some innovation.
When I packed us to come here, I had summer days in mind. Of course, that would be true if it were Hawaii, but Chiavari is not the case. The days have been in the 50s, with rain nearly every day, leaving me to think of the quote someone had… Most people are still wearing their puffy coats, although we immediately feel the sun’s heat and quickly get too warm. Rain, then sun – how to clothe oneself seemed clear, but my summer wardrobe returns unworn. I now know better how to pack for humidity and cool, and regret my entire suitcase of summer fripperies.
We usually wait till the all-clear sign of sunshine appears, weenies that we are. We do have choices. All the baby strollers have little plastic covers over their young bambini, and other people pop out into the streets as the sprinkles lessen, suddenly ready to walk around again. Often, on and off light sprinkling is the thing, so we take Lew’s rain-preventative umbrella – it is like magic.
Sending love and good cheer to all from a bright, sunny day in Chiavari!
Judy