Law enforcement corps

Dec
2005

In Italy, there are a variety of law enforcement corps that specialize (and often overlap) in several functions. The Carabinieri (dressing in light blue in the picture) are the Italian military police. The Polizia (dark blue shirts) patrols highways and railways. The Guardia di Finanza (usually dressed in elegant gray uniforms) goes after IRS and tax evasion violations. Finally, the Vigili Urbani are those officers who dispense parking tickets on the streets. In this regard, a friend of mine told me a word of wisdom: you don’t want to be a Vigile Urbano in your own town…