Royal Carabinieri

Royal Carabinieri Corps
Arma dei Carabinieri Reali
Coat of arms of the Royal Carabinieri
Active	13 July 1814 - 8 May 1948 29 July 1981 - Present
Country	Kingdom of Italy
Type	Gendarmerie
Role	Permanent service of public security
Size	225,000
Part of	Ministry of National Defence Ministry of Interior
Garrison/HQ	Rome, Italy
Nickname(s)	L'Arma Benemerita L'Arma La Benemerita
Patron	Virgo Fidelis
Motto(s)	Nei Secoli Fedele (Faithful throughout the centuries)
Commanders
Commandant-General	Benito Frusan
Insignia
Symbol

The Royal Carabinieri (formally "Arma dei Carabinieri Reali", "Royal Carabinieri Corps", CC.RR.) is the national gendarmerie branch of the public security services, the others being the Royal Guard of Finance and the Coast Guard. After decades of merging with the Police, Carabinieri were re-established in 1981 in a major overhaul of police services; differently from the past, all police services shared the same awards and traditions. In particular, the Carabinieri received the main task of providing the bulk of personnel assigned to rural police duties. On 28 October 2002, the Royal Police Corps was merged with the Royal Carabinieri.
The Carabinieri are also involved in international police missions as stand-alone gendarmerie force; when deployed abroad in conjunction with the M.V.S.N., the Carabinieri, as part of the police forces, maintain the leadership. The Carabinieri, with military status and in wartime part of the Armed Forces of the State, are articulated in three main branches: the Territorial Forces deployed in Provinces, the Specialized Units, and the Mobile Forces.
Alongside the Mobile Forces, the Corps has a territorial structure: it is stationed in every province, with its own officers, and placed under Provincial Commanders and Prefects, under the the overall command of the General Command and of the Chief of Police in Rome. The 110 Provincial Commnds (Comandi Provinciali), each commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel or, for important commands, by a Colonel, are organized in 21 Legions (Legioni), led by Brigadier Generals, which in turn are framed within 5 Inter-regional Commands, led by Lieutenant Generals; below the Provincial Command there are several Territorial Commands (Comandi Territoriali), in turn divided into Lieutenancies (Tenenze) and Stations (Stazioni). Each Provincial Command reports, for both preventive and repressive military police duties, to the relevant Army District Command, although it is not part of the Army. Despite its military legal status, the Carabinieri can be more accurately described as a paramilitary rather than a strategic force, neither geared nor equipped at large towards the fighting or winning of wars, but to its duties of protection of public security and where needs be, execution of armed services. However, some units do have military capabilities.

History

The Carabinieri is the result of two main events: the end of the Royal Carabinieri in 1948 and the main security reform occurred in 1981. Between 1948 and 1981, the Republican Police Corps was the only stately security force in Italy and for 33 years it had provided all the operational personnel to the whole Public Security complex.

End of the Royal Carabinieri

Form its beginning, the newly-reorganized Republican Police Corps was chosen as favourite organization related to the Public Security, in the eyes of some P.N.F. leaders even surpassing the civilian Directorate-General. Between late days of October 1946 and the foundation of the National Republican Guard (occurred on October 28th, 1948), the Carabinieri underwent a series of major changes and reforms, in order to make them suitable for the planned merger with the most elite M.V.S.N. units. On November, 4th 1946, Carabinieri were separated from the new National Republican Army, and they were established as the Arm of the Republican Carabinieri (Arma dei Carabinieri Repubblicani), maintaining their widespread territorial structure. Major debates were held about the Carabinieri's ultimate destiny. Some Party and military leaders supported the general merger of all police and security apparatus in one Gendarmerie force; many others, however, supported the decision to split political and ordinary responsibilities.
In January 30rd, 1947 Mussolini appointed retired Field Army General Rodolfo Graziani as first Commandant General of the Republican Carabinieri; on March 4th, 1947 the new Regulation was enacted, as well as the new Republican oath of allegiance, and by the end of April the uniform changed, adopting the blackshirt. In the fall of 1947 began a significant personnel migration towards the Army.
The territorial structure was maintained, although a bit reduced: some city commands were transferred to the Republican Police Corps, while the rural stations were still kept open. On March, 23rd 1948, during a speech before a Carabinieri-M.V.S.N. joint exercise, Benito Mussolini told about the establishment of a new force, capable to keep traditions and to be a truly Fascist Republican apparatus. By May, 8th 1948, the transfer of the Carabinieri territorial structure and personnel to the Public Security apparatus was completed: officers could choose between the re-enlistment in the Army with the rank held, the enrolment as Public Security civilian officials, the direct transfer to the Republican Police Corps (within the increased operational needs) or the permanence within the National Republican Guard. A significant, but minor part (12%) chose to retire, while the bulk of officers (73%) chose to remain in service within the Armed Forces (especially the Republican Police Corps and the Army, but also in the Navy and in the Air Force; only a relatively minor part (15%) remained in the National Republican Guard.
However, Carabinieri were not officially disbanded; they were reduced to a cadre organization, with few C.P.R. officers designed to be the nucleus of a reformed organization. The on-paper survival of the Carabinieri was achieved thanks to an intense lobbying activity and to the presence of doubts and differing view within the ruling group of the new Republic about the future security challenges.

C.P.R. as Carabinieri's heir

The characterization of the C.P.R. as the Carabinieri legitimate heir dates back to mid 1970s, when the Italian political elite began to deteriorate, and some policy-makers sought to strengthen both the morale and the legitimation of the police. On February 28th, 1978 then-Minister of National Defence Giovanni Spadolini and then-Minister of Interior, Francesco Cossiga, made a joint speech, where the Carabinieri's War Flag was declared the national insignia of the Republican Police Corps. The following day all awards and decorations awarded to the Arm of Carabinieri as a whole (Decorazioni alla Bandiera) were officially transferred to the Corps. Together Carabinieri's awards, the C.P.R. inherited also their ethics and traditions, as well as the dual budgetary links with the Interior Ministry (for police operations) and with the National Defence Ministry (equipment, personnel, barracks and facilities).

1981 security reform onwards

Carabinieri and Coast Guard as separate corps were re-established in 1981 in a major overhaul of police services; differently from the past, all police services share the same awards and traditions, and in turn share most of them with the other Armed Forces. In 1981 the whole security apparatus was reorganized; the re-establishment of the Carabinieri (from the small group formally tasked to give birth again to the Arma) greatly affected the Republican Police Corps, which was deprived of all its rural stations and bodies, including the former State forestry Corps and of a relevant chunk of its mobile and special forces. The C.P.R. however managed to mantain the overall unity and superiority over all the military forces tasked with police duties; the Royal Guard of Finance, while an autonomous corps, also remained within the scope of the urban police. On 28 October 2002, the Royal Police Corps was merged with the Royal Carabinieri.

Mission

The Royal Carabinieri contribute to the defence of the Nation, to the protection of the Fascist institutions and to the protection of the Nation. In a situation of danger of transnational war, the availability of an instrument such as the Carabinieri, based on a broad territorial deployment, which combines a great intelligence capacity with a powerful projection of force, and with extensive historical experience in the combat of the terrorism and other serious forms of crime, gives a strategic advantage to the country that owns it. This is combined with the specialised urban surveillance capacity of the C.P.R. in order to obtain a secure environment.
All serious threats (terrorism, organized crime, illegal immigration) have a clear transnational dimension. On the other hand, many of the external conflicts that take place in the Italian environment have a direct impact on internal security: refugee flows among which criminal groups are also camouflaged, drug trafficking to finance the contenders, market growth black arms, among many others. This convergence of external and internal threats brings about the end of the pure division between the traditional missions of the security forces and the armed forces.
Thus, the security forces make a significant contribution to crisis management and peacekeeping operations, between the imperial confines and in other areas. Along with this external projection of the security forces, the armed forces have to assume a collaboration in traditional internal security missions, such as the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking or illegal immigration.
The Royal Carabinieri are an essential part of the response to all these challenges to Italian security, but it has no exclusive response for any of them. The versatility and flexibility of the Royal Carabinieri, which allows them to act in both military and police missions, both integrated into military and purely civil organizations, both in intelligence and in combating terrorism, make it not only a privileged instrument for Deal with emerging threats that arise in the strategic arena, but as a cornerstone on which to build cooperation between armed forces and security forces.

An institution present across the entire spectrum of national security

The Royal Carabinieri is an armed force established to ensure the execution of the laws. As such, it has a dual mission. The Royal Carabinieri, being a military force, participate in the execution of the defence policy, on the national territory as well as in the external theaters of operations. Royal Carabinieri thus carry out military police missions on and outside the national territory, in application of Italy's international commitments. On the national territory, Royal Carabinieri are also in charge of the protection of certain sensitive points.
In addition to military missions, the Royal Carabinieri are also a police force distributed throughout the territory. the Royal Carabinieri then perform judicial police missions, which constitute one of its essential missions, and administrative police. In law, there is nothing to prevent it from dealing with the entire spectrum of delinquency (save for those matters explicitly given to the Royal Guard of Finance or the Coast Guard), from simple contraventions to the most serious offenses linked, for example, to the repression of acts of terrorism.

Military duties

The Royal Carabinieri contribute to the defence of the national territory and participate in military operations abroad. They also participate in operations for the enforcement, maintenance and restoration of the Roman peace, in order, in particular, to achieve security conditions in the areas of intervention. The Royal Carabinieri also contribute to the reconstitution and restoration of the operations of foreign police forces in the mission areas of the Armed Forces.
The Royal Carabinieri carry out military police and information gathering duties. The territorial network of the Royal Carabinieri gathers information also for military security purposes. The Royal Carabinieri perform, in the absence of the Musketeers of the Duce, the service entrusted to them.
While in principle all Royal Carabinieri have military police and national defence duties, in the Carabinieri there are special units intended primarily for carrying out the tasks of national defence and military police units, with functions of security police and military judicial police.
The Royal Carabinieri also contribute to the implementation of the mobilization predispositions of the Armed Forces on the basis of the directives of the Chief of Defence General Staff.

Internal security duties

The Royal Carabinieri perform judicial police and public security functions. The Royal Carabinieri watch over the maintenance of public order, public security, the security of citizens and the protection of property; they take care of the observance of the general and special laws and regulations of the State, of the provinces and municipalities, as well as of the ordinances of the public authorities; they provide assistance in the case of public and private accidents. An active vigilance, not interrupted, and the repressive action constitute the essence of their mission. Therefore, even when they are not expressly in charge of service, they must intervene if they are infringing the law, or their work is requested by public officials, or even by private individuals, for the disengagement of the duties established for them.
The Royal Carabinieri provide the security services of the diplomatic and consular representations, as well as the offices of the military attachés abroad.

Auxiliary duties

The Royal Carabinieri primarily ensure the continuity of the service in the areas affected by public disasters. They also contribute to providing relief to people affected by disasters.
The military garrison commander may, consistent with the available force and the needs of the service, contact the Royal Carabinieri for an escort service of honor and, in the case of reviews and parades, for the service order and the maintenance of order. Carabinieri may be employed as line troops, only in exceptionally serious cases, when, for the maintenance of public security, all the military forces of the garrison are made available to the military authority.

Dependencies

The Royal Carabinieri have an independent position within the Ministry of National Defence, with the rank of Armed Force and it is a military force in permanent service of public security.
The Royal Carabinieri depends, through the Commandant General, on the Chief of General Staff of the Defence. For what concerns the tasks of protection of public security in the civilian field, they depend on the Minister of the Interior for employment, through the Chief of Police. For what concerns the tasks of protection of public security in the Italian Empire, the Royal Carabinieri depend on the Ministry of Imperial Affairs. For technical-administrative aspects, the Royal Carabinieri depend on the Ministry of National Defence, and on the Ministry of the Interior for the use of financial resources aimed at strengthening the police. For all other tasks, such as national defence, military police and other duties not specifically entrusted to other Ministries, the Royal Carabinieri depend on the Ministry of National Defence.
The Carabinieri units set up within other ministries, organs or other national authorities for the performance of specific tasks are functionally dependent on the latter ones' chiefs. Units and the offices of the Arma established within joint bodies, or within individual Armed Forces, depend, through their own Commanders, respectively on the Chief of General Staff of the Defence and on the relevant Chief of Staff of Armed Force.
In times of war and during states of emergency, the law establishes the exclusive dependence of the Royal Carabinieri on the Ministry of National Defence. In this case there is no room for possible interference in the fulfillment of the military missions entrusted to the Royal Carabinieri. Command relations as well as transfers of authority would be governed by the regulations in force in the Armed Forces.

Organisation

Like other military and security organizations, the CC.RR. have three main branches: the command, the ideological and political training organization (Political-Military Commission), and the internal affairs branch. While the National Fascist Party and the Duce's Representative is responsible for indoctrinating CC.RR. personnel, the internal affairs branch is responsible for identifying foreign spies and corrupt police, as well as for guarding police intelligence and other traditional counterintelligence tasks.
The Royal Carabinieri are headed by the General Command, consisting of the Commandant-General of Carabinieri, the Deputy Commandant-General and the Chief of Staff, all located in Rome. The Chief of Staff directs, coordinates and supervises all activities of the force.
The Carabinieri are organised on a territorial basis for law-enforcement missions. The territorial organization represents the core of the institution; it contains 85 percent of the force and is organized hierarchically in five inter-regional, 19 regional and 110 provincial commands. Outside the territorial organization, there are the Military Police Command, the Operations Command, which in turn controls the 1st Carabinieri Mobile Brigade, the Forestry Units Division, the Inspectorate Units Division and the Raggruppamento Operativo Speciale (framed within the Central Operational Section).
The Carabinieri are characterized by the existence of a dual sphere of command and supervision (State executive and Armed Forces) and a low degree of institutional control by the Public Prosecutor.

General Command

Coat of arms of the General Command of the Royal Carabinieri

The General Command of the Royal Carabinieri is the Carabinieri department that deals with directing, coordinating and controlling all the activities of the corps, with particular attention to the operational activities carried out by the departments and those of analysis of criminal phenomena. It also maintains relations with the central organs of the public administration, for all that does not concern the military tasks.

Commandant-General

The Commandant-General of the Royal Carabinieri is an officer of the Royal Carabinieri who, at the time of his appointment, holds the rank of General of the Army Corps. He is appointed by decree of the Duce, on the proposal of the Minister of National Defence, after hearing the Chief of General Staff of Defence, on which he depends.
Within the Royal Carabinieri, the Commandant-General is hierarchically superior to all the General Officers and, in case of absence, impediment or vacation of the office, is replaced by the Deputy Commandant-General.
The Commandant-General of the Royal Carabinieri commands and is responsible for the Royal Carabinieri, is responsible for organizing and preparing the Royal Carabinieri and proposes to the Chief of the General Defence Staff the program relating to the Royal Carabinieri for the purpose of general interforce planning. The Commandant-General is a member of the National Committee of Public Order and Security and of the General Council for the Fight against Organized Crime.

Powers in the operational, training and logistics fields

The Commandant-General is the central security body of the Royal Carabinieri and, based on the directives of the Chief of General Staff of Defence, identifies the departments and personnel to be used for the performance of military police tasks and participation in national defence and ensures availability, formulates proposals for operational planning. determines the implementation modalities of the mobilization and the entity of the relative stocks and defines the training activity and exercises the functions of operative command for the operations and the exercises of the Carabinieri, is responsible for organizing and preparing unit and departments for the accomplishment of military and police tasks.
The Commandant-General determines the ordering, the territorial circumscriptions, the organisms and the operating modalities of the commands, departments, units, institutes and various bodies, determines the establishment or the suppression of fixed places or temporary stations, training of personnel, approves the publications of the Carabinieri.
The Commandant-General also determines the policies of employment of technical material, on the basis of the directives of the Chief of General Staff of Defence.

Powers in recruitment, status, progress and employment fields

The Commandant-General proposes to the Chief of General Staff of Defence the destinations of the Generals of Army Corps and, for the needs in the Defence field, the officers to be used for international use, in joint tasks and in other departments. Similarly, the Commandant-General proposes to the Chief of Police of the Kingdom of Italy the destinations of the Generals of Army Corps for the needs in the law enforcement field.
The Commandant-General determines the destinations of the dependent officers, subject to the permission of the Minister of the Interior for those transferred to or from the territorial organization (devoted to police tasks) and the joint police bodies, giving prior notice to the Chief of General Staff of Defence for the divisional and brigade general officers. In this regard, if the Commandant-General or the Chief of General Defence Staff requests and the Interior Minister (and, by delegation, the Chief of Police) accepts, Carabinieri (and other Police Military Forces) units and personnel normally assigned to police duties may be transferred to military duties.
The Commandant-General chairs the Superior Commission for the Advancement of the officers of the Royal Carabinieri, is vice-president of the Supreme Commission for the Advancement (if it deals with officers of the Royal Carabinieri), he indicates to the Chief of Defence General Staff the general officers to propose to the Minister of National Defence as members of the progress commissions. The Commandant-General chairs the commission for the expression of the opinion on the granting of the rewards to the value and merit of the carabinieri. The Commandant-General can directly order the formal investigation against the employees and designates the members of the disciplinary board for the personnel against whom he has ordered the formal investigation.

Powers in the financial and administrative field

The Commandant-General performs the functions of chief programmer, of general director, titular of administrative responsibility and of territorial military commander on the whole national territory.

Deputy Commandant-General

The Deputy Commandant-General of the Royal Carabinieri exercises the vicarious functions in case of absence or impediment of the General Commander and assists him in carrying out the functions and tasks delegated, carries out inspections to the high commands of the Arma (by delegation of the Commandant-General) and presides over the ordinary commission of progress of the officers of the Carabinieri.
The Deputy Commandant-General is an Army Corps General in effective permanent service and is appointed by decree of the Duce, upon proposal of the Minister of National Defence, after hearing the Chief of General Staff of the Defence. The Deputy Commandant-General remains in office for a maximum duration of two years, unless in the meantime he must not cease from the actual permanent service due to age limits or to another cause provided for by law, and is hierarchically superior to the other general officers of the Royal Carabinieri.

Chief of Staff of the General Command of the Royal Carabinieri

The Chief of Staff of the General Command of the Royal Carabinieri is a Divisional General tasked of being the chief consultant and collaborator of the Commandant-General, on which he directly depends. He receives from the Commandant-General the directives for the activity to be carried out and directs the activities of the General Staff and defines, where necessary, the additional elements to translate the decisions of the General Commander into orders and plans.
As Chief of Staff, he represents the Commandant General and issues orders in his name, when authorized, and has some departments and units under his direct dependencies: Health and Administration Directorates, the Secretariat, the Autonomous Unit of the General Command and the Head of the Spiritual Assistance Service (military chaplains).

Administration Directorate

The Administration Department is employed by the Chief of Staff of the General Command of the Royal Carabinieri Corps and has national territorial jurisdiction for all bodies and entities dependent on the same General Command.

Deputy Chief of Staff of the General Command of the Royal Carabinieri

The Deputy Chief of Staff assists the Chief of Staff in the performance of his duties and replaces him in case of temporary absence, impediment or vacancy of the office, provides for the delegated determination of spending commitments, directs the provision of expenditure items to of the Heads of the Department, presides and coordinates the activity of the working and study groups for the study of problems of primary interest to the Carabinieri. The Deputy Chief of Staff directly manages the National Recruitment Centre.

Staff of the General Command of the Royal Carabinieri

The Staff of the General Command of the Royal Carabinieri (Stato Maggiore del Comando Generale dei Reali Carabinieri) ist the executive organ tasked to apply general orders of the Commandant-General and general directives of other bodies. It is led by the Chief of Staff of the General Command of the Royal Carabinieri and includes six Units:

• I Unit - Forces organization: competent in matters of organization, training, personnel management, as well as disciplinary and assistance;
• II Unit - Forces deployment: responsible for all operational activities;
• III Unit - Telematics: deals with IT, telecommunications, special armament and equipment issues;
• IV Unit - Logistical support of the forces: responsible for all support activities (procurement, supplies, repairs, maintenance and recovery);
• V Unit - External Relations and Propaganda;
• VI Unit - Planning, programming, budget and control: responsible for coordination of administrative and financial activities.

Divisions directly under the General Command

For the execution of general police and public security tasks, both repressive and preventive, the Royal Carabinieri have various specialized divisions. These divisions, which do not require the use of means and men such as to justify their elevation to Carabinieri Command, depend directly on the Commander General. These Divisions have operational autonomy and can act both with their own territorial structure (such as Political Police Division) and in support of the territorial organization of the Carabinieri.
The divisions are equipped with the necessary office structure, the Divisional Command and a Divisional Staff, complete with information structures. The specialized divisions are led by a Division General.

Royal Carabinieri Inspectorates of Public Security

Royal Carabinieri Inspectorates of Public Security (Ispettorati di Pubblica Sicurezza dei Carabinieri Reali) and Royal Carabinieri Special Offices of Public Security (Uffici Speciali di Pubblica Sicurezza dei Carabinieri Reali) are subdivisions of the Royal Carabinieri established in order to accomplish specialist police duties with no defined territorial jurisdiction. Each Inspectorate has at its disposal a Royal Carabinieri Group, with the exception of the Inspectorate of P.S. "Viminale", which operates the Autonomous Group.
From an organizational point of view, Inspectorates and Special offices enjoy a greater autonomy from the General Command than Divisions directly subordinated to the General Commander. Such subdivisions administratively depend on the General Command of the Royal Carabinieri, while functionally are subordinated to the relevant authority. Royal Carabinieri Special Offices/Inspectorates of Public Security established at ministries other than the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of National Defence are in charge both to provide relevant police services under the functional direction of the Minister and to guarantee the Ministry security.
Inspectorates of Public Security are headed by Brigade Generals, while Special Offices are led by Colonels.

Political-Military Commission of the Royal Carabinieri

Political-Military Commission of the Royal Carabinieri (It: Commissione Politico-Militare dei Reali Carabinieri) is a military organization carrying out Fascist political education and supervision of the military personnel. The Commission directly controls the higher echelons of the professional military down to the divisional level.
The Military Political Commission of the Royal Carabinieri consists of a Political-Military Commissioner, of Major General rank, personal representative of Duce Italo Debalti, and of numerous Deputy Commissioners, most of whom are also accorded Brigadier General or Colonel rank. The Commission also has eight of Offices under it: General Affairs Office, Discipline inspection Office, A.N.C. Office, O.N.A.O.M.A.C. Office, Education Office, Liaison Office, Organization Office, Press and propaganda Office. The Commission also oversees the Carabinieri Military Museum and the Carabinieri publications.
Indoctrination is relatively relaxed and all O.V.R.A./P.N.F. organisations are strictly and severely prohibited from interfering with the regular chain of command and with military affairs.

Political-Military Commissioner

The Political-Military Commissioner of the Duce at the Royal Carabinieri (Italian: Commissario Politico-Militare del Duce presso i Reali Carabinieri) is the head of the political work of the Royal Carabinieri. The Commissioner is in charge of building P.N.F. organizations and directing political ideology, as well as building the force. The Political-Military Commissioner holds a unique position in the CC.RR. Incumbent CC.RR. Political-Military Commissioner is General of Division Tullio Di Madagoli, a former G.N.R. officer.

Organization

Besides the central organization, there are three levels of political education officers:

• Political Education Delegates (Delegato per l'Educazione Politica) are assigned to all organizations at the regiment and brigade level; Delegates are of Major to Lieutenant Colonel rank and operate the relevant Political-Military Unit Offices (Uffici Politico-Militari di Reparto).
• Political Education Directors (Direttore dell'Educazione Politica) are assigned to all battalion-level organizations; Directors are of Captain to Major rank and operate the relevant Political-Military Unit Offices (Uffici Politico-Militari di Reparto).
• Political Education Instructors (Istruttore di Educazione Politica) are assigned to all company-level organizations; they are Lieutenants. If the relevant Company-level unit is led by a Lieutenant, there is no Political Education Instructor. Below the battalion level, political control is exercised by so-called Political Groups (Gruppi Politici), together with the local P.N.F. local sections and associations, as well as with the Arms and Corps Associations.

All political officers have the responsibility of implementing decisions made by the P.N.F., strenghtening chain of command and unit cohesion, providing political education to the troops within their organization in cooperation with the relevant Military Association, working with other components of the political work system. A high percentage of political officers are selected from company-grade officers who have been P.N.F. members since they were cadets; however, some political officers also come from the M.V.S.N. or even are assigned directly from the P.N.F. drawing from political leaders with prior military or security experience.

Territorial organisation

Main article: Territorial organization of the Royal Carabinieri (Kingdom of Italy)

The main and foremost focus of Carabinieri is the territorial organisation, aiming to be present in every inhabited centre. The operational focus is the Provincial Group, which is further subdivided into Detachments, Companies, Lieutenancies and Stations; on the other hand, the Provincial Group is framed within Legion and Inter-Regional Commands. The 75% of he Royal Carabinieri belongs to the Territorial Organization.

Territorial Police Station

The Territorial Police Station (Italian: Stazione Territoriale di Polizia) is the lowest operational unit of the Public Security apparatus, articulated on the organic forces ranging from a minimum of 4 to over 20 units; it is the direct and most visible legacy of the former Savoy-era Royal Carabinieri Stations, and in most cases they are still operated by the Carabinieri. Stations are staffed only with military agents and subofficers, commanded by a Subofficer of the minimum rank of Marshal. The station is responsible in a very specific area: large portions of the civilian infrastructure or city, or one or more municipalities. The Station Commander is responsible for direct control of land and related institutional activities. The national soil is so carefully covered by the dense network of stations of the Royal Carabinieri, which are also the custodians of the first task of protecting public order and safety within the area they encompass, as well as the first line of military police and counter-espionage activities. Stations are divided into three distinct sections:

• 1st category: the stations are placed with an operational focus and a less open to the public 8 hours per day.
• 2nd category: the stations are located which have a greater operational focus and are prepared to receive the public 14 hours a day distributed in 2 shifts from 8.00 to 22.00.
• 3rd category: the stations are those of crucial importance and cover the entire 24 hours through the system of shifts.

Regardless the category, each station is permanently manned. The most experienced non-commissioned officers are assigned to the command of the 3rd category stations, while the criterion of seniority determines the positions of command in the 2nd and 1st category. The station is the central element of territorial control and they are located in buildings specially constructed or upgraded in order to promote an effective defence. The premises of the station include a security prison, a chamber of discipline, a kitchen and a dining hall, housing the commander, one double every two agents, and, if married, one for each room and a garage. The stations, according to their own staff and to operational needs, can organize territorial mobile patrols, although it is not strictly required to do so.
The Station reports to the relevant Company/Subgroup commander for military, personnel and disciplinary matters, as well as for military police duties, and to the head of the Commissariat for all operational and functional police activities. Territorial Police Stations are usually responsible for more than one municipality, but the Carabinieri Marshal who is the Station Commander is the Local Authority of Public Security only in the municipality where the Station is located in and only if in that municipality there is not a Questura or a Detached Commissariat of Public Security.

Lieutenancy

The Lieutenancies are territorial garrisons, competent on a single municipality with a high number of inhabitants. They provide a 24-hour emergency response service and have independent judicial police activities. From the operational point of view, Lieutenancies are considered as particular Territorial Police Stations with more than 25 Carabinieri.
Lieutenancies are commanded by a Lieutenant, a Second Lieutenant (in most cases coming from the special role, then a former Subofficer), or an experienced Marshal Major - Special Grade.

Peripheral organisation

The peripheral organisational structure of the Division is quite complex. At the regional level there are 21 Legion Environmental Commands (Comando Ambientale di Legione, led by Lieutenant Colonels or Colonels) which link territorial structures to Divisional commands. Each Legion Environmental Command has a Food and Agricolture Investigative Team (Squadra Investigativa Agro-alimentare, S.I.A.A.), which is primarily active in the field of prevention of fraud and of the food chain control, and cooperates with the SIPAF for police investigations, and an Ecological Operations Unit (Nucleo Operativo Ecologico, N.O.E.).
The Provincial Environmental Detachments (led by Majors or Captains) operate at the provincial level. In addition to the offices in charge of the administration, the Provincial Environmental Detachments have a Investigative Team of Environmental and Forestry Police (Squadra Investigativa di Polizia Ambientale e Forestale, S.I.P.A.F.) that deals with all criminal investigations in the environmental field. The Division is further divided into commands Forestry Station, which depend hierarchically from the Provincial Environmental Detachments. Forestry Stations are normal Police stations but have additional tasks.

R.O.S.

The R.O.S. (Raggruppamento Operativo Speciale or Special Operational Group) is an elite unit founded in 1990 to deal with organised crime (Mafia and others), subversive activities, terrorism and more complex types of crime. An anti-crime section is found in every city and district public prosecutor's office. The R.O.S., due to its mission, closely cooperates with the Intelligence and Security Organization.

Carabinieri Transportation Police Command

Main article: Royal Carabinieri Transportation Police Command (Kingdom of Italy)

The Carabinieri Transportation Police Command groups the two main specialities of Public Security: Traffic Police and Railway Police. The institutional responsibilities specialities are called to fulfil is the safety and security of transportations, of railway lines and of the border. Operators have a high level of professionalism, thanks to the frequency of specific courses at educational institutions of specialities. Each speciality is organised into a "Service", directed by a Brigade General, assisted by two or more Colonels. Both Services are characterised by an high degree of militarisation: civilian officials are assigned only to the central offices and all the chain of command consists of military officers who, once assigned to the Division, complete their career in the Service which they are assigned to.

Carabinieri Operations Command

Main article: Royal Carabinieri Operations Command (Kingdom of Italy)

The Carabinieri Command for Operations is the Command with the mission of overseeing all surveillance operations, tactical control of the territory, personal security and mobile operations, including special operations under the responsibility of the Corps, which are decided by the Commander General. The Command is the main reservoir of personnel for missions abroad in support of the other Armed Forces for tasks other than the Military Police. The Command, headed by General of the Army Corps, is made up of the Command Office, the General Staff, one Division and three Brigade-level Commands:

• Mobile Units Division;
• Territory Control Command;
• Personal Security Command;
• Special Public Security Units Command;
• Air Service Command.

Military Police Command

Emblem of the Royal Carabinieri Military Police Command.

Military police functions and duties for the Armed Forces are among the most important functions of the Royal Carabinieri. The Military Police Command (It: Comando della Polizia Militare) has a direct function to deal with and prosecute cases of espionage that threaten state and/or military security, the protection of the plans and military installations, as well as any other project and experiment to keep secret. Surveillance and interventions to be carried out to enforce discipline, security and safety of military personnel, or to ensure the rear security, or regrouping disbanded soldiers or units which are engaged in combat are also military police tasks. The Military Police Command has to prevent and combat all forms of activities which may prejudice the security and defence of the State from a military point of view. Activities related to military police duties are therefore considered to be mainly:

• Military intelligence;
• Prevention and repression of infringement of provisions laid down to better protect military secrets or the military defence of the State;
• Prevention and repression of subversive and defeatist propaganda within the Italian Armed Forces or aimed to them;
• Prevention of attacks on facilities of military interest;
• Prevention and repression of thefts of weapons, ammunition and military equipment.

Some of these activities take only an indirect interest in the military, but have a predominantly political foundation and therefore the action of prevention and repression is primarily devolved to other organs (O.V.R.A., Military intelligence). It is not always possible to establish a clear line of demarcation between the strictly military and the political field. The relevant service is divided into two main branches: "strict military police" and "military counter-intelligence". The first one reflects the implementation of all preventive measures, whether general or particular, to combat subversive and defeatist propaganda, to ensure the works safety and military equipment. The military counter-intelligence service tends to identify the agents of spying and monitoring its tasks in order to stamp out the action at the appropriate time. Therefore, the body in charge of counter-intelligence is the Military InformationService. The Military Police Command in this field is the executive agency of the military police service in co-operation with the S.I.M., while the Public Security and even the O.V.R.A. are considered subsidiary bodies. However, the help of the O.V.R.A. is valuable in this field if it is considered that the activities have in their very nature a foundation of a political nature.
On the metropolitan territory, the military police monitors compliance with applicable laws, regulations and the provisions of the military authorities and takes Armed Forces security actions, participating in exercises. The Military Police Command also ensures contacts with the Provincial Legions of the Militia, in order to control military traffic.
All Royal Carabinieri assigned to the Military Police Commande are members of the P.N.F. or of the Italian Youth of the Lictor. In the commands of the military police units there are only fascists of proven faith.

Insult to the Armed Forces

The offence of Insult to the Armed Forces is strictly enforced in order to fight against defeatism and pacifism. Among other targets (Duce, Government, judiciary and other institutions) anyone who reviles the Armeed Forces is punished with imprisonment from 6 months to 3 years. The same penalty applies to those who publicly defame the Armed Forces of the Revolution, as well as all Military Corps tasked with police or law enforcement duties and civilian agencies or personnel in the public security apparatus.
The penalty provided in cases of offense to the honor or prestige of the King-Duce, of the vilification of the Armed Forces and of the Flag or of any other emblem of the State is increased, if the act is committed by the military on leave. It is considered military on leave who, not being in service to arms, has not ceased to belong to the Armed Forces of the State or the Revolution. The penalty is also increased if the fact is committed by a citizen abroad.
The concept of vilification is a concept of itself indeterminate and is one of the major institutional limits to the free expression of thought. However, the conduct must then be publicly carried out; such publicity constitutes an objective condition of punishment, which may not be known and/or desired by the agent. The catalog of institutions is to be considered non-exhaustive and therefore extensible.

Military criminal police

The criminal police must, on its own initiative, take information and notice of offences, prevent them from being carried further consequences, search for the authors, take the steps necessary to ensure the sources of evidence and collect anything can serve for the application of the criminal law; it also has to carry out any investigation and activities arranged or delegated by the court. For offences falling within the jurisdiction of the military criminal police functions are exercised by:

• Corps, Detachment or Post Commanders. If there are more military units involved, the head is the highest ranking officer;
• Military Police Command personnel;
• Any member of the Royal Carabinieri.

The Corps Commander of each military installation is an Officer of the Military Judicial Police: the resulting judicial activity within the individual military installations is expressed with regard to military offences. Therefore, in the presence of the Corps Commander, the other police officers are exempt from the duty of performing of the functions of the military criminal police.

Organisation

Organization of the Royal Carabinieri Military Police Command.

The Chief of Defence General Staff directs, coordinates and controls the activities of military police making use of the Information and Security Department of the Defence General Staff, and the General Command of the Carabinieri in the preparation of technical provisions. The military police structures are established under joint element in Italy and abroad, or within the individual M.V.S.N. branch, with the determination of the Commandant-General. Alongside Carabinieri Military Police, however, there are also the G.N.R. Military Police.
The military police structures depend hierarchically on the authorities listed in the Armed Forces and joint regulations, as defined respectively by the Chief of the Defence General Staff and the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces. The Chief of the Defence General Staff and the General Command also maintain the technical link with military police units and departments.
The work of territorial surveillance is carried out by Territorial Stations of the Royal Carabinieri, by the Military Districts and by the M.V.S.N. Provincial Legions; the MP Command receives information from both the Party territorial corps and from the Plans and Military Police Office of the CC.RR. General Command.
The Military Police Command - headed by a CC.RR. Brigadier General - commands and controls over 7,000 Royal Carabinieri (about 5% of the total force), organized in the following units:

• Ministry of National Defence CC.RR. Unit (Reparto CC.RR. Difesa Gabinetto);
• Defence General Staff CC.RR. Group (Gruppo CC.RR. Stato Maggiore Difesa);
• Autonomous CC.RR. Group (Gruppo CC.RR. Autonomo);
  • SEGREDIFESA CC.RR. Unit (Reparto CC.RR. SEGREDIFESA);
  • CC.RR. Sections and Teams at Joint military-industrial complex;
• Military Information Service CC.RR. Group (Gruppo CC.RR. presso il Servizio Informazioni Militari): military police organs within S.I.M.;
• Second Unit of Information and Security CC.RR. Group (Gruppo CC.RR. presso il II R.I.S.): in charge for military police organs within the II R.I.S. and S.I.O.S.;
• Italian National Royal Army CC.RR. Command (Comando CC.RR. per il Regia Esercito Nazionale Italiano), 4,000 Carabinieri;
• Italian National Royal Navy CC.RR. Command (Comando CC.RR. per la Regia Marina da Guerra Nazionale Italiana), 1,100 Carabinieri;
• Italian National Royal Air Force CC.RR. Command (Comando CC.RR. per la Regia Aeronautica Nazionale Italiana), 1,200 Carabinieri;

The basic organizational level of the Military Police Command is the "MP Section" (Sezione di Polizia Militare), consisting of 75 Carabinieri and commanded by a CC.RR. Captain and established at the Brigade level. Any military base has a number of Royal Carabinieri at their disposal as military police, which should the need arise may be reinforced and supported by CC.RR. of the territorial organization.

Defence General Staff CC.RR. Group

The Defence General Staff CC.RR. Group (Gruppo CC.RR. Stato Maggiore Difesa) is the command grouping all CC.RR. units and personnel attached to the Defence General Staff. Its main mission is to protect the military leadership, prevent and investigate criminal cases, and to guard against security breaches. The Defence General Staff CC.RR. Group is subdivided into a Central Office and three subordinate branches:

• Special Investigation CC.RR. Unit (Reparto CC.RR. Investigazioni Speciali);
• Surveillance Unit (Reparto Vigilanza);
• Auxiliary Corps CC.RR. Command (Comando Carabinieri Corpi Ausiliari): in charge for CC.RR. detached to Prison Police Corps, Coast Guard and other military organizations.

Special Investigation CC.RR. Unit

The Special Investigation CC.RR. Unit (Reparto CC.RR. Investigazioni Speciali, shortened as INVESPEC) is the CC.RR. unit which guides the investigation of major criminal cases and discipline inspection throughout the Armed Forces not linked to security issues. INVESPEC is part of the Defence General Staff CC.RR. Group.
Most of the cases are independently investigated by the Special Investigation CC.RR. Unit; however for complex cases, if the Special Investigation CC.RR. Unit has completed the investigation, but the Minister of National Defence deems it necessary to conduct further investigation after hearing the findings of the Special Investigation CC.RR. Unit, the Minister will entrust the case the Carabinieri General Staff or even other investigative agencies. The INVESPEC is further subdivided into four units:

• Political Office
• Investigations Office: in charge for investigative tasks, its personnel is often rotated in from other central and elite investigative units.
• Discipline Inspection and Supervision Office: conducts investigations in corruption and embezzlment cases. It is sometimes supported by the Royal Guard of Finance.
• Case Trial Office.

INVESPEC personnel may wear either their civilian clothes or uniforms in the course of their duties. An INVESPEC Carabiniere is also entitled to pass through any military roadblocks or enter any military facilities, or buildings. They may utilize any military signals and communication equipment, commandeer military vehicles; and procure military supplies and accommodation wherever necessary in the execution of their duty. In enemy or occupied areas, the INVESPEC also provides personnel escort to military VIPs, assistance to intelligence agencies in counter-espionage, interrogation of suspects, prevention of sabotage, and detection of enemy agents.

Surveillance Unit

The Surveillance Unit (Reparto Vigilanza, REVIG) is the CC.RR. Military Police unit which conducts regular education and legal education for troops, and conducts political review of cadres and troops, especially personnel in key departments (key departments mainly refer to operations, intelligence, communications, and staff around the chief). The Surveillance Unit is the premier security investigation body and it is part of the Defence General Staff CC.RR. Group, being subdivided into three Offices:

• Security Office: carry out regular confidentiality education and legal education for the troops, and conduct political review of cadres and soldiers, especially those in key departments (key departments mainly refer to operations, intelligence, confidential, communications, and staff around the chief);
• Defence Office: investigates major cases such as spies, subversion of national security, and betrayal of military intelligence in the Armed Forces. The Office accepts the guidance of the O.V.R.A..
• Surveillance Office: Responsible for the security of the heads of the military establishment and major military meetings.

Military Penitentiary Organization Command

The Command of the Military Penitentiary Organization (Comando dell'Organizzazione Penitenziaria Militare) is the component responsible for managing the penitentiary treatment of the Italian Armed Forces and Party Armed Corps at military penal institutions. The Organization is assigned the very delicate task of ensuring military detention for all military personnel and those belonging to the Police Forces at the disposal of the Judicial Authority (ordinary and military).
The Command is a unit at regimental level, dependent on the Military Police Command of the Royal Carabinieri. The Command is located in the "Gabriele Di Nolfo" Barracks in Santa Maria Capua Vetere. In order to carry out its duties, the Command cooperates with the Corps of Penitentiary Police.

Army Command

The Italian National Royal Army Royal Carabinieri Command (Comando Carabinieri Reali per il Regio Esercito Nazionale Italiano) is led by a Colonel with Tasks of the Higher Rank. The Command employs about 4,000 Carabinieri and is divided into three main echelons:

• Army General Staff CC.RR. Unit (Reparto CC.RR. Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito);
• CC.RR. Sections (Sezioni) and Teams (Nuclei) at Army High Commands and Formations, i.e. down to Brigade level; Military Police Sections are tasked to follow and provide M.P. assistance to their assigned Brigade both at home and abroad;
• Military Police Teams assigned to territorial duty at the relevant Army District and Provincial Group (if the see of both is different from the headquarters of a formation).

Air Force Command

The Italian National Royal Air Force Royal Carabinieri Command (Comando Carabinieri Reali per la Regia Aeronautica Nazionale Italiana) is led by a Colonel with Tasks of the Higher Rank, with 10 Companies and 61 Carabinieri Stations (normally located at military airfields and airbases) employed. The Command employs 1,100 Carabinieri and is divided into four main echelons:

• Carabinieri Unit at the General Security Unit of the National Royal Air Force General Staff (liasion duties);
• Carabinieri Command - CENTRE (based in Rome) led by a Major and guarding the aifields in central Italy: Roma Centocelle, Ajaccio, Capua Cerveteri, Ciampino, Furbara, Grottaglie, Montecelio and Vigna di Valle.
• Carabinieri Command - NORTH (based in Milan), led by a Major and consisting of Carabinieri Stations distributed between the airports in northern Italy: Milan, Aviano, Cascina Malpensa, Cervia, Cinisello, Ghedi, Istrana, Lonate Pozzolo, Mirafiori, Padua, Rivolto, San Damiano, Taliedo, Treviso, Verona and Vicenza.
• Carabinieri Command - SOUTH (based in Bari), led by a Major and in charge for all southern military airfields, including those of Sicily, Sardinia, Lampeduse and Malta: Decimomannu, Gioia del Colle, Lampedusa, La Valletta, Sigonella.

The carabinieri, as military police, are present inside the airports and control towers. At military installations of a certain importance, the Carabinieri of the military police belong to the S.I.O.S..
Each Wing (Stormo, Colonel-commanded) is based in its own military airport, and therefore has its own Carabinieri Military Police Station, while Groups (Gruppo, Lieutenant Colonel-commanded) have subordinate detachments on non-permanent basis; however, Missile Groups have their own Carabinieri Stations alongside G.N.R. detachments.

Navy Command

The Italian National Royal Navy Royal Carabinieri Command (Comando Carabinieri Reali per la Regia Marina Nazionale Italiana) has surveillance, judicial police, military and security police duties for the protection of secrecy, as well as special information activities. The Command is led by a Colonel and employs about 1,200 Carabinieri. The supervisory and security tasks assigned to the Carabinieri employees of the Ministry of Defense-Navy find a natural connection with those carried out by the Coast Guard. The Command includes:

• Group Command based in Rome,
• 1 Military Police Section for special services based in Rome;
• 1 Military Police Section at the Navy General Staff;
  • Navy General Staff Security CC.RR. Unit (Reparto CC.RR. di Sicurezza dello S.M.M.);
• 5 Military Police Sections, with offices in La Spezia, Taranto, Naples, Pola and Malta, each responsible for seconded Teams (Nuclei);
• 1 Military Police Section for the Marine Brigade;
• 6 Inter-Regional Security Agencies (Rome, Naples, Taranto, La Spezia, Livorno and Messina);
  • several Basic Security Agencies and 30 CC.RR. Stations;

The S.I.O.S. Marina Carabinieri Unit, composed of 9 MP Teams (Nuclei P.M.) variously displaced, also refers to the Command.

Wartime organisation

In general terms, all Royal Carabinieri have military police powers and duties. In wartime, the Corps provides general support to the military effort (just as it does in peacetime), with some organisational adjustments. When a general mobilisation order is issued, Royal Carabinieri assigned to Military Police Command are augmented by other personnel.
The territorial forces, being the central focus of the Carabinieri, are on the frontline. All military police units in a Province are merged, and each Provincial Group singles out a Military Police Section (Sezione P.M., Company-level unit) or a Military Police Team (Nucleo P.M., Platoon-level unit) to be assigned to the operating troops or to rear duty. For military police matters, the Royal Guard of Finance is under the surveillance of the relevant Carabinieri command. In order to preserve hierarchical lines, usually the Carabinieri Interregional Command directs units and bodies within its jurisdiction, but if deemed necessary the Provincial Commander may issue orders.
Each Carabinieri Battalion provides an additional M.P. Team, to be assigned to the relevant Army Corps; however, all Carabinieri may perform military police tasks. Carabinieri Battalions are the preferred units for occupation duties.
Each of the 19 Inter-provincial Compartments of the Highway Police Service provides at least an its own Section (a Company, acting just as a M.P. Section) for traffic police duties. Similarly, each of the 17 a Groups assigned to the Railway Police provides a Company (acting just as a M.P. Section) for railway transit regulation. Both Highway Police and Railway Police M.P. Sections are integrated by corresponding M.V.S.N. units of Highway Militia and Railway Militia in order to form organic Traffic/Railway M.P. Units (Reparti P.M. Stradale/Ferroviaria, battalion-level units led by the senior CC.RR. officer).
The Royal Guard of Finance provides a M.P. Section for each Regional Command, while the Coast Guard does not provide additional units, already carrying out an auxiliary military police role in peacetime.

Operational Reserve

The Operational Reserve (Italian: Riserva Operativa) is the rate of the Royal Carabinieri of the territorial and forest organization in a state of operational and combat readiness, in order to have an additional maneuvering mass with respect to the Mobile Units Division. The Royal Carabinieri ordinarily keep 10% of the personnel belonging to the territorial and forest organization in a condition of operational readiness. The personnel is made to pass through the Operating Reserve on a rotating basis and the ordinary stay is two months.At any given moment, there are about 10,000 Royal Carabinieri in the Operational Reserve.
The Operational Reserve is distributed in three operational and combat readiness levels:

• Immediate Operational Readiness: 30% of the Operational Reserve (3,000 Royal Carabinieri);
• 24-hours Operational Readiness: 40% of the Operational Reserve (4,000 Royal Carabinieri);
• 48-hours Operational Readiness: 30% of the Operational Reserve (3,000 Royal Carabinieri).

Carabinieri units nomenclature

The Royal Carabinieri, differently from the Italian National Royal Army and from the Royal Police Corps, has an its own units nomenclature.

Italian National Royal Army (Arm of Infantry) (English translation)	Territorial echelons1 (English translation)	Investigative bodies (English translation)	Military Police (English translation)	Operations Command (English translation)
Squadra (Squad)	Stazione Territoriale2 (Territorial Station)	Nucleo P.G. (Judicial Police Team)	Squadra di P.M. (M.P. Squad)	Squadra (Squad)
Plotone (Platoon)	Tenenza (Lieutenancy)	Sezione Operativa (Operational Section)	Nucleo di P.M. (M.P. Team)	Plotone (Platoon)
Compagnia (Company)	Compagnia (Company)	Unità Operativa (Operational Unit)	Sezione di P.M. (M.P. Section)	Compagnia (Company)
Battaglione (Battalion)	Reparto Territoriale (Territorial Department)	Reparto Operativo (Operational Department)	Reparto di P.M. (M.P. Unit)	Battaglione (Battalion)
Reggimento (Regiment)	Gruppo Provinciale3 (Provincial Group)	-	Comando4 (Command)	Reggimento (Regiment)
Brigata (Brigade)	Legione (Legion)	-	Comando5 (Command)	Brigata (Brigade)
Divisione (Division)	Comando Interregionale (Interregional Command)	-	Comando Carabinieri Polizia Militare (Carabinieri Military Police Command)	Divisione Carabinieri Unità Mobili (Carabinieri Mobile Units Division)
Notes 1Also used for specialised bodies; 2Led by a Brigadier or by a Marshal according the importance. In the latter case, it is considered to be equivalent to a Platoon. 3 Usually led by a Lieutenant Colonel; 4 Subordinate to the M.P. organisation for an individual armed force; 5 In charge for M.P. duties for an individual Armed Force.

Carabinieri units naming conventions

Names of the units of the Royal Carabinieri above the Battalion level must meet four main conditions:

• Do not repeat the same name;
• Do not attribute to the subordinate units of the same name of the command (at Brigade level) to which they belong;
• Remember, when possible, feats of arms;
• Call up alive the names of the most decorated dissolved units.

Royal Carabinieri Legions use the names of Infantry Brigades who took part in the first World War, and which are not used by the Army; in addition, and for all Brigade-level commands, names of mythological creatures are used.

A common factor, finally, is the criterion to remember the town where for many years the unit resides, where it is not possible to adopt the above criteria.

Officers

The Officer of the Royal Carabinieri is an Officer of one of the regular Armed Forces and, as such, he fulfills all the obligations established by military laws and regulations. At the same time, he is a Judicial Police Officer (up to and including the rank of Colonel), and, in this capacity, he performs the functions established by the norms of common and military criminal procedure and by special laws.
The Royal Carabinieri Officer also has the attributions and prerogatives of Officer of Public Security, and therefore exercises all the functions which, pursuant to the laws in force at any given moment, are attributed to this quality.

The Royal Carabinieri Officers of all roles perform a dual function. The functions attributed to the officers of the Royal Carabinieri are oriented both to tasks of a military nature (as a military corps destined to operate in war both with combat units and with military police functions) and ordinary police.
In the second case they operate with security police duties whose main purpose was to prevent the commission of crimes; moreover, they also have significant tasks of an informative nature.
In this sense, the officers have the responsibility of examining the information received from the units and subdivisions led by subofficers - who are responsible for the strict execution of the duties of judicial police and public security - and of informing the higher authorities and, if necessary, of government in the shortest possible time commensurate with the type of event reported.

Officer hierarchy

The hierarchical scale of the Royal Carabinieri officers includes eleven formal ranks. These ranks are often internally subdivided according seniority and tasks entrusted to the individual officer. In total, the officers hierarchical scale includes 31 steps:

1. General-Inspector of the Militarized Police Corps
2. Army Corps General with Special Tasks - Commandant-General of the Royal Carabinieri
3. Army Corps General - Deputy Commandant
4. Army Corps General
5. Division General with Senior Rank Tasks - Enrolled in the advancement tables but not yet promoted
6. Division General with Senior Rank Tasks - Not enrolled in the advancement tables
7. Division General
8. Division General - Honorary Rank
9. Brigade General with Senior Rank Tasks - Enrolled in the advancement tables but not yet promoted
10. Brigade General with Senior Rank Tasks - Not enrolled in the advancement tables
11. Brigade General
12. Colonel with Senior Rank tasks - Enrolled in the advancement tables but not yet promoted
13. Colonel with Senior Rank tasks - Not enrolled in the advancement tables
14. Colonel - Corps Commander
15. Colonel
16. Colonel - Honorary Rank
17. Lieutenant Colonel with Senior Rank Tasks - Enrolled in the advancement tables but not yet promoted
18. Lieutenant Colonel with Senior Rank Tasks - Not enrolled in the advancement tables
19. Lieutenant Colonel - Corps Commander
20. Lieutenant Colonel
21. Major with Senior Rank Tasks - Enrolled in the advancement tables but not yet promoted
22. Major with Senior Rank Tasks - Not enrolled in the advancement tables
23. Major - Corps Commander
24. Major
25. Captain with Senior Rank Tasks
26. Prime Captain
27. Captain
28. Lieutenant - Company commander
29. Lieutenant - Interim Company commander
30. Lieutenant
31. Under Lieutenant

Officer categories

Royal Carabinieri officers are also organised in functional Roles according their specialisations. The Roles of the Royal Carbinieri officers are as follows:

• Normal Role;
• Special Role;
• Technical Role;
• Forestal Role.

Through public competition it is possible to access the following Royal Carabinieri Officers Roles: Normal, Technical and Forestry. In general, to achieve the appointment as an officer in permanent service, the following requirements must be met:

• be an Italian citizen or of Italian race and nationality;
• be in possession of a high school diploma (with official preference granted to Military Schools and Classic High Schools);
• be enrolled in the P.N.F. and enjoy civil and political rights;
• be of good morality;
• be in possession of the psychophysical and attitudinal suitability to the unconditional service, ascertained by the General Command of the Royal Carabinieri;
• have not been dismissed, dispensed or declared lapsed from employment in a public administration or acquitted by authority from previous enlistment in the M.V.S.N., Armed Forces or in the Public Security Administration.

Normal Role

Officers of the Normal Role (Ufficiali del Ruolo Normale) of the Royal Carabinieri are recruited through the Military Academy (together with the Army and M.V.S.N. Officer Cadets). At the end of the two-year period, the students are appointed Second Lieutenants. The studies continue for another three years at the Carabinieri Officers School, after which the Second Lieutenant achieves his degree in "Internal and External Security Sciences" and, on a selected basis, also that in "Jurisprudence" (in addition to the normal military subjects taught both at the Military Academy and at the Carabinieri Officers School). Officers with a degree in Jurisprudence are usually appointed to the territorial organization.

Special Role

Officers of the Carabinieri are also drawn, through an internal competition for qualifications and exams, from Marshals of the Royal Carabinieri. In this case, former Subofficers form the Special Role (Ufficiali del Ruolo Speciale) and tend to be assigned to staff positions or to areas where experience is more needed than formal education.

Technical Role

Officers of the Technical Role (Ufficiali del Ruolo Tecnico) of the Royal Carabinieri are recruited, through public competition for qualifications and exams, among:

• Graduates who have not passed the thirty-second year of age in possession of the degree required by the competition announcement (doctors, pharmacists, veterinarians, chemists, physicists, etc.) after undergoing a year-long training;
• Marshals of the Royal Carabinieri who have not passed the fortieth year of age in possession of the degree required by the competition announcement (doctors, pharmacists, veterinarians, chemists, physicists, etc.). These former Subofficers are placed in the Special Technical Role (Ruolo Speciale Tecnico);
• Officer Students who have completed the same training process as the corresponding Army organizations.

The Technical Role of Officers in permanent service is divided into the following sectors and specialties:

• Administrative Sector: Administration specialty; Military commissariat specialty;
• Technical-scientific Sector: Scientific investigations specialty; Telematics specialty; Engineering specialty;
• Health Sector: Health specialty; Veterinary specialty; Psychology specialty.

Forestal Role

Officers of the Forestal Role (Ufficiali del Ruolo Forestale) of the Royal Carabinieri are recruited both among the Italian citizens and among the Marshals of the Royal Carabinieri, in possession of specific requisites foreseen by the competition announcement. It is to note that, when the Officer is not a former Subofficer, an Officer of the Forestal Role has obtained a civilian degree before joining Carabinieri.

Officers training

Officer Cadets of the Normal Role and Officer Students who have completed the same training process as the corresponding Army organizations of the Technical Role are first trained at the Military Academy in Modena together with the Army and M.V.S.N. Cadets. Army, M.V.S.N. and Carabinieri Cadets are organised in separate Cadet Battalions and follow three similar but separate courses. Common subjects are taught in unitary manner in order to provide homogeneity.

Recruit education is divided into five main pillars of learning: administration and organisations; jurisprudence; military training; military studies; specific police studies; political and humanities studies. In addition to these subjects, there is also a highly prized centre for extracurricular activities, including participation in advanced military training, security studies and voluteering in public order services. Alongside this, there are professional internships at Royal Carabinieri units and experience outside the physical space of the academy, such as the Army training camps.
During the first two years at the Military Academy, Carabinieri Cadets stay at the Military Academy from Monday morning to Sunday evening. They may spend the weekends with their families if they have earned a pass and are not being punished. The recruits are mainly from upper middle‐class backgrounds.

After two years, passed Carabinieri Cadets are promoted Second Lieutenants and then transferred to the Carabinieri Officers School, where military training is less emphasized in favour of the completion of the university degrees in jurisprudence or internal security studies. During the three years at the Carabinieri Officers School, Officers stay at the Military Academy from Monday morning to Friday afternoon. They may spend the weekends with their families if they are not being punished.

Requisites for promotion

Promotions in rank are, beyond the rank of Lieutenant, mostly discretionary and only in small parts based on seniority. Nonetheless, in order to achieve stuitability to be promoted to certain ranks, Carabinieri officers must also achieve some education degrees.

Rank	Education level required
	Special Technical role	Technical role	Forestal role	Special Forestal role	Special role	Normal role
Major	Advanced technical course		Joint Higher Institute of Public Security				Army War School
Lieutenant	Civilian degree+ 1 year-long Officers training	Civilian degree+ 1 year-long Officers training	Carabinieri Officer School	Civilian degree + 1 year-long Officers training	1 year-long Officers training	Carabinieri Officer School
Second Lieutenant			Army Military Academy			Army Military Academy
Notes

Promotion to Colonel

Promotion to the rank of Colonel is awarded by choice among officers of the immediately lower rank who have at least seven years seniority in rank and at least 3 years of territorial command (sub-provincial which has stations under its control) or equivalent assignment, even if done in lower ranks. Each year, 7 Lieutenant Colonels are promoted to Colonels.

Uniforms

Paratrooper Carabinieri Officers in Parade Winter Service Uniform (Uniforme di Servizio Invernale 3, S.I. 3) presenting the Flag.

The Carabinieri have a variety of uniforms. During the performance of the service and in military sites or otherwise destined to the service are required to wear the uniform, unless otherwise provided.

Civilian clothing

The General Regulations of the Carabinieri gives the Officers the right to wear civilian clothes when they consider it necessary to gather information or to make confidential or delicate inquiries. The Company or Lieutenancy Commanders may authorize the dependent personnel, as individuals and when the wearing of uniform can be a hindrance to the success of the service, to wear civilian clothes only for the time necessary for the conduct of the service.
Personnel authorized to wear civilian clothes in non-operational services, in choice of apparel and accessories must comply with aesthetic criteria of sobriety, dignity and elegance. Male personnel can wear a classic cut day dress consisting of jacket and pants, one colour (preferably dark blue or dark gray), always with a tie. Female personnel can wear a classic cut suit consists of jacket and skirt or pants, one colour (preferably dark blue or dark gray).
Civilian clothes worn off duty must always be dignified and sober and have no distinctive or characteristic uniform accessories. Military personnel in active service are permitted to wear the uniform off duty in non-military sites. Student Carabinieri cannot wear civilian clothes off duty.

Headgear

All Carabinieri personnel may wear the black rigid cap, regardless any distinction of rank or position. The black rigid cap consists of rod, curtainsider, visor, chinstrap, leather inner band, ribbed band (for the troops), black with scarlet thread at the edges, cover with silver buttons and reproducing the Carabinieri flame.
While all Carabinieri personnel wear the black rigid cap, some units and formations are entitled to wear also alternative headgears, mostly berets:

• Maroon beret: Paratrooper Carabinieri and Counter-guerilla Battalions;
• Black beret: Carabinieri Cavalry Squadrons Group and 1st Carabinieri Mobile Brigade;
• Green beret: Forest environmental and food protection Units Division.

Winter Ordinary uniform

When provided the use of the Winter Ordinary Uniform (Uniforme Ordinaria Invernale, O.I.), Officers wear a black rigid cap with damask band and red profiling, a black jacket, black trousers, a white shirt with pockets and shoulder boards, a fiber polyamide strap with red profiling, black tie, waterproof coat, black stockings, black gloves and black flat shoes. The gun is carried under the brim of the jacket. The Winter Ordinary Uniform is expected to be worn on service within the military facilities, outside, to direct the various institutional services or to carry out inspections and control and out of service.
The Officers' Great Winter Uniform (Grande Uniforme Invernale, G.U.I.) is the Winter Ordinary Uniform with some modifications. It differs from Winter Ordinary Uniform for adding red scarf and decorations (metal signs, plaques and groups) and sabre with pendants and lanyard (without pistol).

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  The Winter Ordinary Uniform is the most iconic uniform of the Royal Carabinieri.

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  The Winter Ordinary Uniform for Subofficers differs from the Troops uniform for the lack of the white bandolier. Instead, a black Sam Browne Belt is worn.

Summer Ordinary uniform

The Officers Summer Ordinary Uniform (Uniforme Ordinaria Estiva, O.E.) consists of black rigid cap, black jacket, blacks trousers, white shirt with pockets and shoulder boards, black tie, black socks, black flat shoes and black waterproof coat. The handgun is carried under the brim of the jacket. The Summer Ordinary Uniform is expected to be worn on service within the military facilities, outside, to direct the various institutional services or to carry out inspections and control and out of service.
The Officers' Great Summer Uniform (Grande Uniforme Estiva, G.U.E.) is the Summer Ordinary Uniform with some modifications. It differs from Summer Ordinary Uniform for adding red scarf and decorations (metal signs, plaques and groups) and sabre with pendants and lanyard (without pistol).

Winter Service Uniform

The Winter Service Uniform (Uniforme di Servizio Invernale, S.I.), for Officers, consists of black rigid cap with damask band and red profiling, black jacket and pants, white shirt with pockets and shoulder boards, black tie, black socks, black windbreaker (for units that use them), black flat shoes and black belt with shoulder strap and black holster. The belt is not worn when the Officer directs the various institutional services, or carry out inspections and control.
The Operational Winter Service Uniform (Uniforme di Servizio Invernale 2, S.I. 2) differs from uniform of winter service for adding a dark blue sweater inverted neck, jacket, black belt with shoulder and ankle holster and combat boots if necessary. This uniform is worn under the command of military employees in the services for which it is expected the same uniform (Public Order Services, search parties, roundups). Special versions are available. With regard the Officers frequently called to direct Public Order related services related to events on snow and ice, in locations with winter climates, the uniform consists of winter baseball cap, blue sweater inverted neck, windbreaker with heavy internal lining, snow boots, low-temperature gloves and blue balaclava.
The Parade Winter Service Uniform (Uniforme di Servizio Invernale 3, S.I. 3) differs from Winter Service Uniform for adding a black belt with no shoulder holster with double stripe pants, jackboots, red scarf, decorations and white gloves and sabre with pendants and lanyard instead of the gun. Officers who parade in Parade Winter Service Uniform on wheeled vehicles are with guns instead of sabre with black belt, shoulder strap and holster black; Officers who in parade in Speciality Uniform, Camouflage Uniform or Public Order Uniform are with guns instead of sabre with with polyamide fiber belt and holster.

Summer Service Uniform

The Officers Summer Service Uniform (Uniforme di Servizio Estiva, S.E.) consists of black rigid cap, blue short-sleeved shirt, blacks trousers, black socks, black flat shoes, black shoulder belt with a black holster. This uniform is rarely worn by officers, only in most hot climates.

Winter Ceremony Uniform

The Officers' Winter Ceremony Uniform (Uniforme da Cerimonia Invernale, Ce.I.) consists of black rigid cap with damask band and red profiling, black double-breasted jacket with six buttons and trousers of the same fabric and colour, white shirt with the collar upturned limp, black silk long tie, small ribbons, long black stockings and black flat shoes, white leather gloves, cloak of black cloth.
The Winter Evening Uniform (Uniforme da Sera Invernale, Se.I.) differs for the black bow tie; the Winter Mess Dress Uniform (Uniforme da Società invernale, So.I.) consists of the Winter Ceremony Uniform with white dicky shirt, white collar with upturned tips, black silk bow tie, reduced decorations. With the addition of the red scarf, the Winter Mess Dress Uniform becomes the Winter Gala Uniform (Uniforme da gala invernale, Ga.I.)
The Great Winter Ceremony Uniform (Grande Uniforme da Cerimonia Invernale, G.U.Ce.I.) differs from Winter Ceremony Uniform for the addition of reduced decorations, the sabre with pendants and lanyard and red scarf.

Operational Uniform

The Officers' Blue Operational Uniform (Uniforme Operativa in tessuto turchino, Op.t.) consists of blue beret, blue polar fleece complete, thermal undersuit, blue t-shirt with the Carabinieri arms, blue neckerchief with red edging, blue fabric uniform with red profiling, black strap with red profiling, black leather gloves, black sponge stockings and black combat boots. The uniform is completed by the polyamide fiber belt with cassetted holster, handcuff case, magazine loader and gun. With the windbreaker, the belt is worn over it. The use of the Uniform for Officers is provided in training, in search parties and roundups, in the various services within the barracks for which there is no provision for ordinary or service uniforms, in services carried out by K-9 squads, with addition of knee-high rubber boots in case of waterlogged ground and in the activities of the special units. With the addition of riot helmet, riot shield and personal protection, the Blue Operational Uniform is used for public order services.
The Camouflage Operational Uniform consists of maroon beret, green skullcap, polychromatic baseball cap, polychromatic jump uniform, polychromatic jungle cap, polychromatic balaclava, polychromatic net scarf, olive green operational bodice, green fleece suit, polychromatic windbreaker with polychromatic laminate fabric chaps, blue inverted neck sweater, olive green shirt, black swat gloves, black leather gloves with reinforced palm, polychromatic gloves for low temperatures, black combat boots, black jump boots, bayonet and dagger. Accessories include the helmet, when expressly provided, commando vest/eagle tac vest and green belt with pistol holster quick release, handcuffs case, magazine loader, spring lace. This is the Officers' uniform for Counter-Guerilla units but also for wartime missions.

Symbolism of the Royal Carabinieri

Royal Carabinieri’s reputation is underscored visually by the corps' iconic emblem, a Flaming Grenade. Set against a black background and matched by an outer red rim, the Grenade symbolises the lineage with Grenadiers. The frequent use of a skull and dagger represents “victory over death” in combat, one the Royal Carabinieri’s defining mottos. The dagger itself symbolises courage and bravery. According to Fascist traditions, the black stands for “permanent fight”, while the red motive symbolises the “blood shed in combat”.

War Flag

The flag granted to the Royal Carabinieri, handed over to the Commandant-General, is guarded by the Royal Carabinieri Recruits Legion students of Rome.

Rank insignia

Royal Carabinieri Special Ranks insignia
Special rank	Comandante Generale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri Reali	Generale Ispettore dei Corpi Militari di Polizia
English translation	Commandant-General of the Royal Carabinieri	General-Inspector of the Militarized Police Corps
Corresponding Army rank (Italian)	Generale di Corpo d'Armata con Incarichi Speciali	Generale d'Armata
Corresponding Army rank (UK)	Lieutenant General	General
Shoulder board insignia
Cap chin strap

Carabinieri Officers ranks and insignia
Carabinieri rank	Sottotenente	Tenente	Capitano	Maggiore	Tenente Colonnello	Colonnello	Generale di Brigata	Generale di Divisione	Generale di Corpo d'Armata
English translation	Under Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Captain	Major	Lieutenant Colonel	Colonel	Brigade General	Division General	Army Corps General
Corresponding Army rank (Italian)	Sottotenente	Tenente	Capitano	Maggiore	Tenente Colonnello	Colonnello	Generale di Brigata	Generale di Divisione	Generale di Corpo d'Armata
Corresponding Army rank (British)	Second Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Captain	Major	Lieutenant Colonel	Colonel	Brigadier	Major General	Lieutenant General
Shoulder board insignia
Cap chin strap

Carabinieri Subofficers ranks and insignia
Carabinieri rank	Maresciallo	Maresciallo Capo	Maresciallo Maggiore
English translation	Marshal	Chief Marshal	Marshal Major
Corresponding Army rank (Italian)	Maresciallo	Maresciallo Capo	Maresciallo Maggiore
Corresponding Army rank (British)	Warrant Officer Class Two	Warrant Officer Second Class	Warrant Officer First Class
Shoulder board insignia
Cap chin strap

Carabinieri Enlisted ranks and insignia
Carabinieri rank	Carabiniere	Carabiniere Scelto	Appuntato	Appuntato Capo	Vicebrigadiere	Brigadiere
English translation	Carabineeer	Carabineer First Class	Appointee	Chief Appointee	Deputy Sergeant	Sergeant
Corresponding Army rank (Italian)	Soldato	Caporale	Caporale maggiore	Caporale Capo	Sergente	Sergente Maggiore
Corresponding Army rank (British)	Private	Lance Corporal	Corporal	Sergeant	Staff Sergeant	Staff Sergeant (senior echelon)
Sleeve insignia	No insignia
Shoulder board insignia
Cap chin strap

Standard issue weapons

Small Arms

Name	Origin	Type	Number	Photo	Notes
Weapons
Beretta 92FS	Kingdom of Italy	9×19mm pistol
Beretta FA70	Kingdom of Italy	5.56×45mm assault rifle
Beretta FA10	Kingdom of Italy	7.62×51mm battle rifle
Beretta LG-160	Kingdom of Italy	Grenade launcher
Franchi FP-15	Kingdom of Italy		12 Gauge shotgun	File:Franchi SPAS 15.png
Beretta PM-20	Kingdom of Italy	9x19mm Parabellum submachine gun
Minimi ML	Kingdom of Italy United Kingdom of the Benelux	5.56×45mm light machine gun
Beretta MG 42/59 – MG3	Kingdom of Italy	7.62×51mm machine gun			Licensed build by Beretta and Franchi, since 1959
[[wiikipedia:Sako TRG|Beretta FP-43]	Kingdom of Italy	sniper rifle
Beretta MG 99	Kingdom of Italy	12.7×99mm machine gun
Franchi FP-44	Kingdom of Italy	sniper rifle

Combat knives

Name	Origin	Type	Number	Photo	Notes
Combat knives
BM 59	Kingdom of Italy	Bayonet
Dernieri Pugnale Italico	Kingdom of Italy	Dagger			Standard-issue dagger
Extrema Ratio Fulcrum	Kingdom of Italy	Bayonet			Arditi and special forces

Ground vehicles

Royal Carabinieri use a vaiety of vehicles for the fullfilment of their duties.

• VIC Freccia infantry fighting vehicle (Special Public Security Command);
• VCC Puma 4×4 armoured fighting vehicle (Mobile Units Division; Special Public Security Command);
• REGIO-12 multi-purpose armoured personnel carrier (Mobile Units Division);
• VTLM Lince multirole light vehicle (General use);
• ACTL Iveco SM44 Heavy Truck 8x8 (General use);
• ACTL Iveco SM44 Heavy Truck 6x6 (General use);
• ACTL Iveco SM44 Light Truck 4x4 (General use);
• Iveco VM 90 multirole light vehicle (Mobile Units Division; Military Police Command);
• De Tomasi Scirocco AR90 4x4 patrol car (General use);
• Fiat Panda 4x4 patrol car (General use);
• Fiat Punto patrol car (General use);
• Alfa Romeo Giulietta patrol car (General use);
• Alfa Romeo Giulia patrol car (General use).

See also

• General Command of the Royal Carabinieri (Kingdom of Italy)
• Law enforcement in the Italian Empire
• Law enforcement in the Kingdom of Italy