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Q&A
SESSION
You now
have two Gallardos. How did the second Gallardo come
about?
It was
donated to the Polizia Stradale by the Peretti
Foundation of API Industries at the recent 152nd
anniversary celebrations of this police force.
The law
enforcement work of the Polizia and the Carabinieri
are different. Are the Carabinieri jealous that you
have Lamborghinis?
No.
There is great friendship and a great rapport
between the two forces. Anyway, they had Ferraris in
the 1960s.
Who
drives the Gallardos?
There
are eight officers qualified to drive this car. And
there will probably be another eight for the second
Gallardo.
What
will the second Lamborghini do?
The same
duty as ours but we shall patrol the centre and the
south of the country, while the new car will patrol
the centre and the north of Italy.
How does
policing the north compare with policing the south
of Italy?
This is
a generalisation but let us say that the further
south you go, the looser the interpretation of the
law.
What are
the Gallardo’s duties?
Medical
activities, some escort duties, PR work, traffic
duties and crime-fighting. The automatic number
plate recognition system automatically flags up any
nearby suspects.
How
did you get the job?
The
Ministry of the Interior selects the officers by
examining their driving record.
So only
the best are chosen?
No (with
a modest shrug). There are many fine officers in the
force who could do this job.
What
does it take to be a traffic cop?
Assuming
you have met the requirements for police duty and
successfully qualified, you then need a further
one-year training for traffic duties.
How did
you train to drive the Lamborghini?
We did a
one-week course with the car at the Vallelunga race
circuit with Lamborghini’s chief test driver Giorgio
Sanna.
Have you
ever been in a car with Lamborghini’s legendary test
driver Valantino Balboni?
No, but
I have heard stories that make your hair stand on
end from those who have. I believe that Lamborghini
is building its own test track to solve the problems
associated with high-speed road testing.
Are the
Gallardos used every day?
Most
days yes, but not every day. When not in use they
are on standby for immediate action should the need
arise.
Is there
such a thing as a typical day for this car?
No;
every day is different.
Has this
Lamborghini been reliable?
Yes.
Extremely reliable. We have covered 34,000km since
Lamborghini gave us the car last year.
What is
the public reaction?
Very
enthusiastic. It creates lots of attention and lots
of questions from people of all types. The police
motto is ‘Get close to the people’. These cars
certainly help us achieve a closer collaboration
with the community.
What
crimes in Italy are on the increase?
There
has been an increase in crime committed by armed
criminal elements in the immigrant community, mainly
from Eastern Europe, but that is the concern of the
Carabinieri. Our job is that of traffic cops.
Drink-driving is common, also driving without
insurance or on false papers. All of which need cops
on the ground, not cameras.
Why
bother to stop speeders instead of just sending them
the fine and penalty points?
A car
owner can choose not to declare who was driving his
or her car at the time of the offence. This incurs
an extra 300 euros fine on top of the speeding fine
but does not affect the penalty points.
In the
two years since the introduction of penalty points
and tougher enforcement of motoring laws in Italy,
have you seen any improvements in the accident
statistics?
Yes.
Fatalities and injury statistics are steadily
falling but we still have a long way to go.
You have
many accidents at weekends involving young drivers.
What is being done to address this?
If a
young driver commits an offence, he receives double
points for the first three years of driving. Where
permitted, his maximum speed limit is 100km/h
instead of 130km/h.
What is
the reaction of drivers who are stopped?
Amazement. We have to be careful as sometimes in
heavy motorway traffic, issuing a ticket can cause
jams as onlookers slow down for a look.
Do you
ever take the car to its 200mph top speed?
No.
There is no need, and the speed differential would
be dangerous for other traffic. We do sometimes
travel at very high speed, and this is where the
Lamborghini scores. Other police vehicles at their
top speeds are less stable and less safe than the
Gallardo. Being four-wheel drive, it is extremely
sure-footed in the wet. We have also used it to good
effect in snow with the appropriate tyres.
Recently
in the UK a British traffic cop was caught testing a
car at 160mph. The magistrate let him off but the
press made a meal of it. What would have happened in
Italy?
The
same. The Italian press would have eaten him alive.
You have
little room left for any extra equipment. How do you
manage?
If we
need back-up it soon arrives.
What do
you drive off-duty?
A Ford
Ka and a Peugeot 206. Both are suited to everyday
battle in Roman traffic.
This
Lamborghini caused quite a stir when it went to New
York for the Columbus Day celebrations. Did you go
to the USA with it?
Unfortunately not, two other officers went. But we
would like to come to London if you organise an
invitation!
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