170 Years of the National Police Polizia di Stato

Two uniformed officers of the State Police, with an Alfa Romeo patrol car bearing the word "POLIZIA" in the background. Along the upper edge, the commemorative inscription "POLIZIA DI STATO"; to the right, the Italian Republic monogram "RI"; at lower right, the years "1852" and "2022"; at lower left, the Rome Mint mark "R". Along the lower edge, the initials "A.M." of coin designer Annalisa Masini.

The Polizia di Stato is one of Europe's oldest and best-known state law enforcement bodies. Its origins go back to 1852, when the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont, under King Victor Emmanuel II, established a central civilian police authority modelled on the French system. After Italian unification in 1861, this structure took on nationwide responsibility and developed into the national state police of the new monarchy. Over the decades, the force underwent profound institutional changes: militarised under Fascism, it was gradually democratised after 1945. The decisive reform came in 1981, with the transition to a fully civilian, trade-union-organised police force — a step that made Italy a pioneer in Europe in demilitarising police service.

Today, the Polizia di Stato employs around 100,000 officers and is responsible for public safety, border protection, serious crime and counter-terrorism. Its specialist units — including the Polizia Stradale (traffic police) and the Polfer (railway police) — cover a broad range of tasks that go far beyond classic patrol duty. As an agency of the Ministry of the Interior, it is structurally separate from the military Carabinieri, though it works closely with them. The Alfa Romeo car, which since the 1960s has become a visual symbol of the Italian patrol vehicle, stands for a long tradition of cooperation between state institutions and national industry. On the occasion of its 170th anniversary, Italy honoured this history with a dedicated issue in 2022.