Heavily-modified and now armour-proofed, the new Alfa 159 has become the latest 'Pantera' to hit the streets of the Italian cities as it gears up to help the Polizia di Stato in the eternal fight against crime. 'Pantera' (Panther) is the nickname given to patrol cars used by the Polizia di Stato (State Police) and the Alfa 159 is now swiftly replacing their ageing fleet of Fiat Mareas. For its new crime-fighting role the Alfa 159 has undergone substantial modifications to the mechanicals as well being toughened up to help it to withstand assault. The windscreen and door glass is now bullet proof while the front seats are fully separated from the rear ones by the fitting of a fixed polycarbonate panel. Included in the many gadgets that make this version of the Alfa Romeo 159 fit for 'James Bond' are powerful new roof-mounted searchlights that can be adjusted by remote control.

The Alfa 159's arrival in the hands of the Polizia di Stato comes as the Alfa Romeo brand gears up to officially launch a new entry-level Alfa 159 1.8 16v version. First slated to be introduced in time for the model's market debut (and in fact originally pencilled in to be presented when the Alfa 159 range was first revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2005,) however its introduction was at the last minute postponed. Now the Alfa 159 1.8 16v is set to arrive in the Italian showrooms in August.

Polizia di Stato

The Minister of the Interior is the Public Security National Authority and is responsible for public order and security maintenance. In the carrying out of their function of public order and security high direction and co-ordination of police forces’ tasks and activities, the Minister is supported by the Public Order and Security Committee, an advisory body consisting of an Undersecretary of the Interior - as its deputy chairman -, of the Chief of Police - Director General of Public Security - and of the heads of the other Police Forces. The function of Public Security Administration is exercised, at central level, by the Public Security Department and by provincial and local authorities, public security officials and officers at local level.

The following are public security provincial authorities: the Prefect, in charge of the Territorial Government Office, having the general responsibility of public order and security, and the Questore, senior official of the State Police, responsible for the direction and technical and operational co-ordination of public order and security services and of police force employment. Local public security authorities are State Police officials in charge of detached Commissariati di pubblica sicurezza (police stations). Where the latter are not present the functions of local public security authorities are exercised by the Mayor in his/her capacity of Government official.

As envisaged by law, the Public Security Department has the task of: implementing public order and security policy through the identification of both technical and operational guidelines and management goals, on the basis of ministerial guidelines and with a subsequent control of the results achieved.
 

And also of ensuring the technical and operational co-ordination and unitary direction of Police Forces, carrying out the tasks of direction and management of the State Police, that is a Police Force having a general competence and a civil status; handling the technical supports also for the Ministry of the Interior general needs. The Public Security Department is headed by a Prefect with the capacity of Chief of Police – Director General of Public Security – who is appointed by Decree of the President of the Republic on proposal of the Minister of the Interior and by decision of the Council of Ministers. Moreover, it includes a Deputy Director General with vicarious functions, chosen among the prefects coming from the State Police ranks, a Deputy Director General for the co-ordination and planning activity and a Deputy Director General responsible for the Criminal Police Central Directorate.

The Director General can delegate, each time or in general terms, specific functions to the prefects having the capacity of Deputy Director General without prejudice to the competence entrusted to them by law provisions or regulations.  The Public Security Department consists of a Secretariat Office - which has the function to co-ordinate internal activities and support the direction and guidelines of the Chief of Police -, of 10 Central Directorates and 3 Offices of equal level. The Anti Mafia Investigative Directorate, the State Police Academy, responsible for training and refresher courses for State Police officials, as well as the Multi-agency Police Academy also depend on the Public Security Department.

The Offices and Central Directorates can be headed by prefects or senior police officers. The Anti Mafia Investigative Directorate, the Anti Drug Central Directorate and the Multi-agency Police Academy - which are multi-agency bodies - can be, by turns, under the direction of senior police officers or major-generals of the Carabinieri Corps or the Guardia di Finanza.  In addition to this, the Services of the Office for Co-ordination and Planning of Police Forces and some Services of the Criminal Police Central Directorate (Witness Protection Central Service, Criminal Analysis Service and Police International Co-operation Service) are multi-agency bodies as to their composition and direction. A Multi-agency Central Office for Security (UCIS) has also been set up with the task of directing and co-ordinating prevention activities aimed at guaranteeing the safety of the persons considered at risk. The Department is made up of personnel belonging to the career of Prefects, to the State Police and civil administration of the Ministry of the Interior as well as to the other police forces and state administrations.

The State Police personnel carrying out police functions amounts to 109,144 units belonging to the ranks of managers, executives, inspectors, sergeants (sovrintendenti,) assistants (assistenti) and agents. The technical-scientific activity or technical activity is performed by another 5,720 officers.