Over 3000 soldiers from the
Italian army may soon join city police forces in patrolling Italian cities.
‘Mixed patrols will enhance security at night when there is the greatest need’,
said Defense minister Ignazio La Russa, who authored the initiative with
Interior minister Roberto Maroni. The measure will be part of an amendment to
the law and order bill currently before Parliament.
With the same powers as regular
police officers, the soldiers would be used on request by city prefects, on
renewable, six-month terms. Under city prefects, they may also be assigned to
patrol the suburbs if necessary. The bill would allow cities to use soldiers
not only to help city police at night, but also to keep watch over ‘sensitive
monuments and areas at risk’.
The soldiers tapped for civic
patrol would be those with experience in missions abroad. ‘For the armed forces
this will be a sacrifice, because we are short of personnel. However, it is a
task we will gladly perform and this will all be to the merit of our soldiers’,
La Russa affirmed. Meanwhile, government officials recently announced that
armed forces will be deployed in Naples and the surrounding Campania region to guard dumpsites, an effort to support waste disposal
procedures as the nation tries to resolve the trash emergency.
