Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (April 2023) |
Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City State Corpo della Gendarmeria dello Stato della Città del Vaticano ( Inspector General | |
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Corpo della Gendarmeria |
The Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City State (
The corps numbered 130 as of 2017. It is led by
History
In 1816, after the dissolution of the Napoleonic empire, Pope Pius VII founded the Papal Carabinieri Corps for the service of the Papal States.
In 1849, under Pope Pius IX, it was renamed, first as the Papal Velites Regiment, and then as the Papal Gendarmerie Corps. It was charged with ensuring public security and passed from dependence on the Ministry of the Army to dependence on the Cardinal Secretary of State. It took an active part in the battles that finally led to the complete conquest of the Papal States by the victorious Kingdom of Italy.
After the capture of Rome in 1870, a small group of members of the Corps continued to serve in the papal residence and the gardens.
In 1929, the force was expanded to deal with its duties in the newly founded
When in 1970
Its name was changed in 1991 to Security Corps of Vatican City State and in 2002 to Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City State.[4]
Organization
The corps is responsible for security,
, and other general police duties in Vatican City.The Vatican Gendarmerie includes two special units, the Rapid Intervention Group (Gruppo Intervento Rapido; G.I.R.) and an Anti-Sabotage Unit (Unità Antisabotaggio).[4] Since 2000 an operations and control room, staffed 24 hours a day, coordinates the response of the Vatican security services in the case of an emergency.[5]
The Interpol National Central Bureau for Vatican City, tasked with collecting and sharing relevant information on crime and security with Interpol, an organisation of which Vatican City is a full member since 2008, is also part of the Vatican Gendarmerie.[5]
While the protection of the Pope's person is primarily the Swiss Guard's responsibility, the gendarmes ensure public order at the audiences, meetings and ceremonies at which he is present. In Italian territory and other countries, this is done in liaison with the local police authorities.[4]
In 2015, the Gendarmerie made eight arrests.[6]
Numbers
There are a number of different roles within the Gendarmerie. Ranks are shown in the structure below. Some members of the Gendarmerie are officers, some are gendarmes.
- 99 officers;
- three department heads
- eight police chiefs
- 16 police commissioners
- 32 inspectors
- 40 vice-inspectors
- 94 gendarmes.[7]
Gendarmes
To qualify for enrollment as a gendarme, a person must be an unmarried male, between the ages of 21 and 24, of good health and a practising Catholic. There are also minimum requirements of height and education—standing at least 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m), and being a high school graduate.
Military service is not a requirement, but is advantageous (in Italy there are two national military police forces in addition to civilian police forces).[8]
The Gendarmerie's patron saint is
Band
The Band of the Gendarmerie (Italian: Banda musicale del Corpo della Gendarmeria) is a uniformed band of musicians that serves at Gendarmerie events and also serves as the official marching band of Vatican City.
In October 2007, the band is the heir to the Papal Gendarmerie band founded in 1851 and in turn descended from the musical formations of the body of the Pontifical Velites. The band is made up of about 100 musicians and volunteers coming from the Italian military bands such as the Italian Army Music Band and the National Carabinieri Band.[citation needed]
Training and operations
The Gendarmerie are responsible for policing the whole of Vatican City State (however the Italian Polizia di Stato and sometimes Italian Carabinieri patrol St. Peter's Square).
20 of the 138 Vatican officers have received special training for anti-terrorist actions. Some of these officers accompany the Pope during his international travels.
The Vatican has an operational centre "of high technological level", and thousands of surveillance cameras, as well as in extraterritorial Vatican properties.
Rapid Intervention Group (GIR)
The Gendarmerie has a Rapid Intervention Group (Gruppo di Intervento Rapido; GIR), a police tactical unit trained for various situations to respond to threats more effectively:[9][10]
- shooting procedures
- combat in a restricted environment
- anti-sabotage
- breaching
Other security services in the Vatican
The Commandant of the Gendarmerie Corps is the head of the Directorate of Security and Civil Protection Services, which also oversees the Vatican fire brigade.[4]
Security in Vatican City is also provided by the
Relationship with Italy
As Vatican City State is a country within another country and due to the nature of the policing duties of the Gendarmerie, the Vatican Government and Gendarmerie maintain strong links with the Italian police and authorities. Sometimes, they will visibly assist each other in times of crisis, such as the earthquake in 2016, when the Pope reportedly sent some gendarmes to assist in the rescue but also keeping law and order. The gendarmes sent were in their uniform and carrying their firearms, as it was reported that there were looters in the area.[11] Members of the Vatican Fire Brigade and Pontifical Swiss Guard were also sent to help.
Likewise, the Italian Arma dei Carabinieri (Italian state military police) and Polizia di Stato (Italian national civil state police) are seen in and around St. Peter's Square (Vatican territory) policing the crowds and carrying out protective duties.[12]
Equipment and vehicles
Weaponry
The Gendarmerie is equipped with weapons to protect Vatican City State. The Glock semi-automatic pistol (various versions) in 9 mm Parabellum is the standard-issue weapon.[7] They also have more powerful weapons, such as: the Beretta M12 and Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine guns.[7]
The Rapid Intervention Group (GIR) is equipped with the Carbon 15 carbine and Heckler & Koch FABARM FP6 shotguns.
Against possible riots, they are supplied with batons, tasers,[13] pepper sprays[7] and tear gas.
Swords are carried for ceremonial duties.[14]
Vehicles
In 2010, Ducati presented two police motorbikes to the Gendarmeria, designed in the white and yellow colors of the Vatican.[15][16]
In September 2012, the Gendarmerie was equipped with one Kangoo Maxi ZE electric car.[17]
Later, in 2012 the donations of a
- Ducati motorbikes (marked) (2) (SCV064 and SCV065)
- Harley-Davidson Road King motorbikes (marked) (2)[18] (SCV0176 and SCV0177)
- Four-person buggy
- Volkswagen E-up! electric cars (marked) (2)[19]
- Fiat Bravo (marked) (1)
- Smart ForTwo (marked) (2) [20]
- Renault Kangoo Maxi ZE electric car (marked) (1)
- VW Passat cars for escort work (unmarked) (2)[21]
- Fiat Ducato van (control/communications unit) (1)[21]
- Iveco Daily Anti-sabotage unit van and trailer (1)[21]
- Mercedes-Benz G-class open-top pickup (GIR) (1)[21]
All of these vehicles are registered in Vatican City State with 'SCV' preceding the numbers on all vehicle registration plates (the Pope's vehicles wear 'SCV1').
The vehicles are equipped with blue emergency vehicle lighting.[22]
Other equipment
Radios are carried and used with earpieces and microphones on duty.
Uniforms
Before 1970, the 180 Pontifical Gendarmes wore elaborate ceremonial uniforms of 19th-century origin. These included bearskin headdresses with red plumes, black coatees with white-fringed epaulettes, white doeskin breeches and knee-high riding boots. In service dress bicornes and blue trousers were substituted.[23]
The present-day Vatican City gendarmes wear dark blue modern police uniforms. There are different orders of dress for different occasions and seasons (as well as weather). However, rank, insignia and decorations do not differ between uniforms.
Everyday Dress
- Blue kepi (cap) with cap badge
- White shirt
- Black tie
- Blue tunic with four pockets or long black jacket or short black bomber jacket
- Pocket badge
- Blue trousers with a black stripe down the side
- Black boots.
Dress-down Uniform
- (worn when the above is impractical/unsuitable)
- Light blue polo shirt
- Dark blue trousers
- V-neck jumper
- Jacket
- Baseball cap
- Black boots/shoes
Special/Practical Duties
- Dark blue shirt-jacket
- Dark blue cargo trousers
- Helmet
- Square baseball cap
- Beret
- Black boots
Plain clothes
- A dark suit may be worn when gendarmes carry out close protection duties (e.g. assisting the Swiss Guard with protecting the Pope)
Ceremonial Dress
- Blue kepi (cap) with cap badge
- White shirt
- Black tie
- Blue tunic with four pockets
- Pocket badge
- Blue trousers with a black stripe down the side
- Dark blue cape with clasp (wintertime)
- Black waist belts with belt badge over tunic (with or without closed pistol holster or sword)
- Officers wear gold and yellow shoulder sash
- White gloves
- Medals are worn on the left breast (if any)
- Black boots
Ranks
The ranks of the Corps of Gendarmerie was adopted in 2002 with the renaming of the Security Corps.[24][25] [failed verification]
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Gendarmerie of Vatican City |
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Ispettore generale | Dirigente generale | Dirigente superiore | Primo dirigente | Dirigente | Commissario | Vice commissario
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Security Corps of Vatican City (1970-2002) |
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Ispettore generale | Vice ispettore vicario | Vice ispettore | Sovrastante maggiore
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Sovrastante | Vice sovrastante |
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Gendarmerie of Vatican City |
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Ispettore | Vice ispettore | Brigadiere | Vice brigadiere
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Gendarme
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Security Corps of Vatican City (1970-2002) |
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Assistente | Vice assistente
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Agente scelto
|
Agente |
Commanders
- Arcangelo De Mandato (1922-1942)
- Adolfo Soleti (1942-1944)
- Mario Pericoli (1944-1958)
- Francesco Saverio Bernado (1959-1961)
- Spartaco Angelini (1961-1971)
- Camillo Cibin (1 August 1972 – 2 June 2006 )
- Domenico Giani (3 June 2006 – 14 October 2019 )
- Gianluca Gauzzi Broccoletti (15 October 2019 – present)
See also
- Crime in Vatican City
- Index of Vatican City-related articles
- Swiss Guards
- Papal Army
- Military of Vatican City
- Noble Guard (Vatican)
- Palatine Guard
- Pontifical Swiss Guard
- Papal Zouaves
- Corsican Guard
References
- ^ De Agostini Atlas Calendar, 1945–46, p. 128. (in Italian)
- ^ "Corpo della Gendarmeria" (in Italian). Stato della Città del Vaticano. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
Il personale del Corpo garantisce la sicurezza e l'ordine pubblico anche nelle zone extraterritoriali di proprietà della Santa Sede.
- ^ "Pope appoints new Commander of the Vatican Gendarmerie". 15 October 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "Corpo della Gendarmeria" (in Italian). Stato della Città del Vaticano. Retrieved 2016-08-30.
- ^ INTERPOL. Archived from the originalon 2016-04-08. Retrieved 2016-08-30.
- ^ "Vatican City PD: Gendarmes continue centuries-old military tradition". 26 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Vatican-gb". Archived from the original on 2022-08-17. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
- ^ San Martín, Inés (2 March 2015). "Vatican security chief says ISIS threat to pope is real". Crux. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
- ^ "Addestramento congiunto con il GIR - Esercito Italiano". www.esercito.difesa.it. Retrieved Jul 1, 2020.
- ^ "La Gendarmeria Vaticana si dota dei taser? Speriamo che non sia vero". Jun 18, 2018. Retrieved Jul 1, 2020.
- ^ Ragona, Fabio Marchese (Aug 27, 2016). "Aiuti e carità: il Papa manda i suoi soldati". ilGiornale.it. Retrieved Jul 1, 2020.
- ^ "Carabinieri Mitsubishi I-Miev & Polizia Stradale Alfa Romeo Sportswagon Q4". Apr 25, 2017. Retrieved Jul 1, 2020 – via Flickr.
- ^ "Taser alla gendarmeria vaticana: aumenta l'allerta attorno al Papa". Globalist. 18 June 2018. Retrieved Jul 1, 2020.
- ^ "The book launch of La Gendarmeria Vaticana. Dalle origini ai giorni nostri by Sandro..." agefotostock. Retrieved Jul 1, 2020.
- ^ "Due Ducati per il Papa". La Repubblica (in Italian). 15 September 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
- ^ "Two Ducati Multistradas presented for the Pope's motorcade". Motorcyclist. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
- ^ "News from the Vatican - News about the Church - Vatican News". www.vaticannews.va. Retrieved Jul 1, 2020.
- ^ "Festa Harley-Davidson a Roma: due Road King Police donate al Papa in beneficienza". Motoblog.it. Jun 18, 2013. Retrieved Jul 1, 2020.
- ^ @volkswagen (March 28, 2017). "Electrifying: #VW Italia has..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "La gendarmeria ecosostenibile del Vaticano". 06blog.it. Oct 23, 2011. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved Jul 1, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Tamburrino, Matteo (29 May 2012). "Gendarmeria Vaticana". Tactical News Magazine (in Italian) – via Issu.com.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Vatican police show off new hardware on feast day". YouTube.
- ^ D'Ami, Rinaldo (1970). World Uniforms in Colour, Volume 1 - The European Nations, p. 12. Patrick Stephens Ltd. London, SBN 85059 031 0.
- ^ "Sostituzione della denominazione Corpo di Vigilanza dello Stato della Città del Vaticano in Corpo della Gendarmeria dello Stato della Città del Vaticano." Corpo della Gendarmeria dello Stato della Città del Vaticano. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
- ^ "Diretto da un Ispettore Generale, coadiuvato da un Vice ispettore vicario e da un vice ispettore, era formato da cento uomini ripartiti nei gradi di : agente, agente scelto, vice assistente, assistente, vice sovrastante, sovrastante e sovrastante maggiore, oltre che dai dirigenti gia menzionati. Queste sono le qualifiche gerarchiche che sono in vigore tutt'ora." Corpi Armati Pontifici. Retrieved 2020-03-29.