Less than a fortnight since the Fiat Bravo was officially launched and went on sale across Italy the first example has been delivered to the Polizia di Stato, continuing a long tradition of Italian police forces using Fiat cars in the fight against crime.

The Fiat Bravo was unveiled as the latest "Panther" by The Italian Minister of the Interior Giuliano Amato and the Chief of Police Gianni De Gennaro, following a line of Fiats into the service of the Italian police forces that in recent years includes models such as the Panda, Punto, Marea and Stilo. The Bravo was turned out in the Polizia di Stato's striking dark blue and white colours, with a large panther's head and decaled with "Squadra Volante" as well as "Bravo". It also featured alloy wheel and red painted brake calipers.

However, during the presentation of the Fiat Bravo an unguarded remark has since caused widespread interest, the police force commenting that they also expect to take delivery of four wheel drive Bravo station wagons in the future, words which suggest that such a model is in the pipeline.

The police force's Fiat Bravos will fall under the sway of the Ministry of the Interior, which is the Public Security National Authority and is responsible for public order and security maintenance.
 

In the carrying out of his/her 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.