The Carabinieri, (Italian for Carabiniers) are the national level gendarmerie force of Italy who also perform military police duties. They police both the military and civilian populations. Their Italian name is used as the common name for this force in English. The full official title of the force is Arma dei Carabinieri (Force of Carabinieri); it was formerly called the Corpo dei Carabinieri.

Historically, a Carabiniere was a cavalryman or soldier armed with a carbine. Their motto is Nei Secoli Fedele ("Faithful throughout the Centuries" but usually translated as "Always Faithful"). Their mission was to control crime and to serve the community through respect for the Law.

The corps was created by King Victor Emmanuel I of Savoy, with the aim of providing Piedmont with a police corps similar to the French Gendarmerie. Previously, police duties were managed by the Dragoni di Sardegna corps, created in 1726 and composed of volunteers.

After French soldiers had occupied Turin at the end of the 18th century and later abandoned it to the Kingdom of Piedmont-Savoy, the corps of Carabinieri Reali (Royal Carabinieri) was instituted under the Regie Patenti (Royal Patents) of July 13, 1814.

Both a military and a police corps, the Carabinieri have fought in every conflict in which Italy has been involved, suffering heavy losses and being awarded many decorations for gallantry.

The Carabinieri are particularly proud of the memory of Brigadier Salvo D'Acquisto, who was executed by the Nazis in Palidoro, near Rome, in World War II, having exchanged his life for the lives of innocent citizens due to be executed in retaliation for the murder of a German soldier. Brigadier D'Acquisto falsely claimed responsibility and was shot for the offence.

The history of the Carabinieri recounts many such actions and the corps is nicknamed La Benemerita (the Meritorious).

The Carabinieri is now an armed force (alongside the Army, Navy and Air Force), thus ending their long standing as the first corps (Arma) of the Army (Esercito). It is likely that Carabinieri will continue to be referred to as the Arma by antonomasia.

In recent years Carabinieri units have been dispatched on peacekeeping missions, including Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. In 2003 twelve Carabinieri were killed in a suicide bomb attack on their base in Nasiriyah, near Basra, in southern Iraq, in the largest Italian military loss of life in a single action since the Second World War (see 2003 Nasiriyah bombing).

At the Sea Island Conference of the G8 in 2004, the Carabinieri was given the mandate to establish a Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU) to spearhead the development of training and doctrinal standards for civilian police units attached to international peacekeeping missions^[1].

The corps is headed by the Comando, consisting of the Comandante Generale (a General), the Vice-Comandante Generale (a Lieutenant General) and the Headquarters Staff, all located in Rome. At the top there dell'Arma Headquarters: is the direction, coordination and supervision of all activities dell'Arma. and Directors of Administration, Health, Engineering, motor pool, and Veterinary Commission. Since the Chief of Staff depends on the CNSR (Centro Nazionale di Selezione e Reclutamento) of the C.N.A. (National Center for Recruitment and Selection) CNA (Centro Nazionale Amministrativo) (National Administrative Center) and Legislation.

The staff is divided about 6 Departments:

• The I Department - Force Organization: "functions by training of government personnel, disciplinary.
• II Department - "Use of Force" functions with command and address in the operating through the Operations Room.
• III Division - Information Technology functions in the field of information technology and telecommunications.
• IV Department "Logistics" - address functions, coordination and control in support of forces.
• V Department "Communication and General Affairs" - external relations, promotion and assistance.
• VI Department "Programming Planning Budget and Control" - with administrative and financial independence.

The Directorate of Administration depends directly from the Commander and General acts as juridical advice, administration of financial resources, and review of financial records and assets of organizations and peripheral detachments.

The Carabinieri are organised on a territorial basis for law enforcement missions. The territorial organization represents the core of the institution, because it contains 80% of force, and is organized hierarchically:

• 5 Interregional Commands headed by a lieutenant general, who serves as top management, coordination and control of the regional commands:
  • Pastrengo Interregional Command (Milan)
  • Vittorio Veneto Interregional Command (Padua)
  • Podgora Interregional Command (Rome)
  • Ogaden Interregional Command (Naples)
  • Culqualber Interregional Command (Messina)
• 19 Regional commands, headed by major general or a Brigadier-General , with functions direction, coordination and monitoring of the activities of the provincial commands
  • The Calabria and Sardinia Regional Commands depend on two highly specialized departments in the fight against organized crime and banditry; these are the so-called Hunters, belonging to 1st Operating Group "Calabria" and Heliportable Hunter Squadron "Sardinia" whose military (with the characteristic Basque red beret) are specially trained in the repression of particular forms of crime in the mountainous areas of the two regions in which they are stationed.
• 102 Provincial Commands headed by a Brigadier-General, Colonel or Lieutenant Colonel (depending on the provinces importance), established in the capital of each province (except Aosta where there is a Territorial Department), with managerial functions, coordination and Control department employees (1 or more Territorial Departments, possible Services Department and the Judiciary; Operating Department; Radiomobile Corps ; Sections Judicial Police, a variable number of groups and companies).
• 18 Department or Territorial Commands, governed by Lieutenant Colonel, exist in some large and/or important provincesorgans functions direction, coordination and supervision of the Provincial Commands which are planned, the Territorial Department of Aosta performs the function Provincial Command.
• 539 Groups or Companies - headed by a Lieutenant Colonel, major or captain with management function of a variable number of Lieutenancies Mobility and its organs ( Central and Core Operating and Radiomobile).
• 41 Lieutenancies, headed by a Lieutenant, sub or lieutenant and competent on a single section with a large number of people, not in an absolute sense but with the relatively capabilities of a station.
• 4625 Stations - Each headed by a lieutenant or Marshall and disseminated at the local level throughout the country with direct responsibility for supervising the territory.

Within the area, men are increasingly allocated to Neighborhood or Community Policing.

Outside the territorial organisation, the Specialist Mobile Unit Command Palidoro based in Rome controls the Mobile Unit Division, Specialist Unit Division and the ROS.

The Mobile Unit Division is located in Rome has two brigades with the tasks of mass maneuvering events to cope with emergencies, to perform military tasks associated with the defense of the national territory and participation in military operations abroad, provides support activities in the area of public order and control of the territory in large urban areas and in the most sensitive areas in terms of public safety and contributes to the operations of the civil authorities.

1st Mobile Brigade based in Rome consists of 11 battalion-sized regiments and the Carabinieri Mounted Regiment. It includes:

• 1st Mobile Brigade (Rome) with the following 12 units:
  • 1st Carabinieri Battalion "Piedmont" (Moncalieri)
  • 2nd Carabinieri Battalion Liguria (Genoa)
  • 3rd Carabinieri Battalion "Lombardy" (Milan)
  • 4th Carabinieri Battalion "Veneto" (Mestre)
  • 5th Carabinieri Battalion "Emilia Romagna" (Bologna)
  • 6th Carabinieri Battalion "Tuscany" (Florence)
  • 8th Carabinieri Battalion "Lazio" (Rome)
  • 9th Carabinieri Battalion "Sardinia" (Cagliari)
  • 10th Carabinieri Battalion "Campania" (Naples)
  • 11th Carabinieri Battalion "Puglia" (Bari)
  • 12th Carabinieri Battalion "Sicily" (Palermo)
  • Carabinieri Cavalry Regiment (Rome) - a separate unit from the Corazzieri.

• 2nd Mobile Brigade (Livorno) with :
  • 7th Carabinieri Regiment " Trentino-Alto Adige "(Laives)
  • 13th Carabinieri Regiment " Friuli Venezia Giulia "(Gorizia )
  • 1st Carabinieri Regiment "Tuscania"(Livorno)
  • Gruppo di Intervento Speciale or (Special Intervention Group) (GIS) (Livorno) - It has the same training as the NOCS of the Polizia di Stato but has wider duties as the Carabinieri are also responsible for military policing so only the GIS is involved when military installations are under threat. It may also be sent abroad on peacekeeping or enforcement duties.

Also, depending in terms of logistical support and training, II Mobile Brigade, the unit contains detachments deployed out of area:

• Multinational Specialized Unit orMSU , used in theaters like the Balkans and Iraq (Italian troops returned at home on December 1, 2006), the
• Integrated Police Unit or IPU , which since December 2004 replaced the MSU Regiment in Bosnia-Herzegovina with a mandate to support the local police; with companies, platoons, teams and teams of military police inside the camps of other Italian Armed Forces.

The Specialist Unit Division located in Rome consists of highly qualified personnel working for ministries to scrutinize socially sensitive issues. The Sanitary Enforcement Task Force investigates hygiene violations in the processing, sale and distribution of foods and drinks. The Environmental Protection Command is involved in protecting land, water and air against pollution, monitoring hazardous materials and protecting endangered plants and wildlife.

The Tutela Patrimonio Culturale or TCP protects Italy's cultural heritage^[2] and the Nucleo Tutela Patrimonio Artistico specialises in the protection of artwork and in the recovery of stolen paintings.

Other special task forces enforce agriculture and employment legislation, and provide security for the Foreign Affairs Ministry plus Italian and overseas diplomats. Very high-risk personnel are protected by members of the Tuscania Parachute Regiment. Bank of Italy Command is responsible for the escort of money transports and security and surveillance in all branches of the bank. Currency Anti-Counterfeiting Command is integrated into the Bank of Italy to identify and investigate the circulation of forged banknotes. Scientific Investigation Department conducts forensic investigation and research and develops modern techniques for investigative purposes. Helicopter Group guarantees national coverage with light and multi-purpose choppers with a response time of 30 minutes.

The ROS (Raggruppamento Operativo Speciale or Special Operational Unit) is an elite unit founded in 1990 to deal with organised crime (Mafia and others), subversive activities, terrorism and the more complex types of crime. An anti-crime section is found in every city district public prosecutor's office.

Special Tasks Departments are outside the ordinary organisational framework and are used for special missions:

Corazzieri (Cuirassiers) are an elite corps and honour guard of the President of the Italian Republic located in the Quirinal Palace. They are distinguished by their uniforms and height (the minimum height for admission is 190cm, or 6 feet 3 inches). They have almost no other everyday duties, although they may be seen patrolling occasionally.

Other departments are in service to Constitutional Bodies such as the Presidency of the Republic, the Senate, Parliament, the Judiciary, the Prime Minister and the National Council of Economy and Labour.

Carabinieri also perform Military police and security duties for the Ministry of Defence, military high commands, offices of the military judiciary and allied military organisations in Italy and abroad. They also have personnel attached to the Department of Public Security in various departments as well as anti-mafia and anti-drug investigation task forces. Furthermore, Carabinieri officers are in charge of surveillance and security at Italian Embassies and Consulates abroad, performing the same services entrusted to the United States Marine Corps in US Diplomatic and Consular offices.

There are Carabinieri groups around the world including Australia and Canada.

The Training Organization consists of the departments of education in charge of training, personal development and specialization of officers, Warrant Officers, Brigadieri (sergeants), Appuntati and Carabinieri.

At the top is the Carabinieri Command School, established in Rome, governed by general corps, which coordinates the activities of various training institutes:

• Carabinieri Officers School (Rome);
• Warrant Officer and Brigadier Cadet School (Florence):
  • 1st Warrant Officer and Brigadier Cadet Regiment (Velletri)
  • 2nd Warrant Officer Cadet Regiment (Florence)
• Brigade Appointed and Carabinieri Schools (Benevento) which consists of:
  • Carabinieri School in Rome, formed around 3 Battalions (Rome, Campobasso and Iglesias);
  • Carabinieri School Reggio Calabria ;
  • Carabinieri School in Turin, divided into 2 Battalions (Turin and Fossano);
  • Carabinieri School Benevento
• School for Advanced Shooting at (Rome),
• Center for Foreign Languages of the Carabinieri (Rome),
• Center for Applied Psychology Training (Rome)

The organization also includes centers for the training of specialists:

• Center for Carabinieri Helicopters (Pratica di Mare)
• Carabinieri Alpine Training Center (Selva di Val Gardena)
• Divers Center (Genoa)
• Canine Center (Florence)
• Riding Center (Rome)

The Carabinieri contains about 110,000 people including 709 Women; 163 Officers, 201 Warrant Officers, 183 "Appuntati" (senior constables) and Carabinieri, and 162 Students in various schools. Data on women provided by the General Command of the Carabinieri January 22 2007.

The main battles which took part in the Carabinieri, before the world wars, are:

• Grenoble, July 5, 1815 (baptism of fire)
• 30 April 1848, flag dell'Arma awarded the first Silver Medal at the Military Valor.
• Verona, 6 May 1848, flag dell'Arma awarded the first Medal of Valor Bronze at Military.
• Custoza, Staffalo, Sommacampagna, Valeggio, Milan, Peschiera del Garda, from July 24 to August 4, 1848.
• Perugia, Garigliano, Mola di Gaeta, from September 14 to November 4, 1860.
• Monzambano, Villafranca, Custoza, 24 June 1866.
• Taking Rome, 20 September 1870, together with Bersaglieri.
• Sciara Sciat and Two Palms (War Italo-Turca, 1911 - 1912).

In the First World War, the Carabinieri are distinguished in the following battles:

• Battle of Podgora, July 19, 1915

For the contribution to the First World War the flag dell'Arma was awarded the first Gold Medal at the Military Valor.

In World War II Carabinieri are distinguished in the following battles:

• Battle of Culqualber (Ethiopia), 6 August-21 November 1941, flag dell'Arma awarded the second Gold Medal at the Military Valor.
• Battle of Eluet El Asel (Libya), 19 December 1941.
• 16-30 December 1941, flag dell'Arma awarded the Bronze Medal of Valor to Military

Carabinieri made an appearance in Carlo Collodi's 1882 Pinocchio, when two officers arrest Pinocchio for a crime he has not committed.

While the Carabinieri have been widely considered one of the most trusted and competent institutions by the Italian population, they are also the traditional butt of many jokes implying that they were stereotypically incompetent and unable to think beyond blind obedience [8].

Many films and tv series have featured the Carabinieri, including as protagonists. Racconti del Maresciallo, La Tenda Nera, Il Maresciallo Rocca and Carabinieri are some of the titles that have been produced, mainly by the RAI fiction division.

In January 2005, the private television network Canale 5 introduced a Carabinieri-related drama series called R.I.S. based on the Ra.C.I.S. (Raggruppamento Carabinieri Investigazioni Scientifiche; Carabinieri Scientific Investigation Group) and modelled on the American CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Although the Carabinieri have a very positive reputation among the Italian people, it is not to be neglected that in different historical periods they have been involved in atrocities. As part of the Italian African Police in occupied Ethiopia, in the late 1930s and early 1940s,^[3] during the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini, the corps of Carabinieri cooperated with the regime because that was order of the king.^[4] However, when King Victor Emmanuel III ordered the arrest of Mussolini on 25 July 1943, the Carabinieri were entrusted with this task. It is also noteworthy that, when Mussolini was freed by the Germans in September 1943 (following Italy's armistice with the Allies) and took the lead of the Repubblica Sociale Italiana in October 1943, he decided to disband the Carabinieri and establish in their place a new police force, the Republican National Guard (Guardia Nazionale Repubblicana – GNR). Although the GNR was largely constituted of former Carabinieri, this decision was probably due to the fact that the Carabinieri were traditionally considered as being closer to the constitutional monarchy than to the fascist regime, and therefore not fully reliable after the King had switched over to the Allies' side.

Some senior carabinieri were implicated in the controversies surrounding Operation Gladio, including the violent "strategy of tension" and an embryonic plan for a coup d'etat. These allegations remain unproven. The Carabinieri were criticised for their handling of the policing of the G8 Summit in Genoa in 2001, and the killing of a protestor, Carlo Giuliani. Charges for the killing were later dropped.

In response to the many and diverse needs of the Carabinieri, the service provides for the use of various types of weapons that are divided into ordinary weapons andspecialweapons ordinaryweapons, supplied to all staff dell'Arma is structured as follows:

• Pistols: Beretta M92, the standard service arm, and 8000 Cougar for Officers
• Submachine gun: Mod.PM 12 S2
• Assault rifle: Beretta AR70/90
• Light machinegun: FN Minimi

Used only by certain departments and in certain circumstances:

• Submachine gun: Heckler & Koch MP5
• Shotgun: Franchi SPAS-15
• Sharpshooter: Mauser SP66
• Sniper rifle: Accuracy International AWP

Until very recently the Italian Police including the Carabinieri operated only Italian built vehicles but that has changed with the advent of Land Rover Defenders and Subarus into service. Normal Carabinieri patrol vehicles are very dark blue (almost black) with a white roof, the blue has a red stripe along the side. Carabinieri license plates beginning with "CC" and for traditional reasons Carabinieri cars are called "Gazzella" (gazelle). Small or medium-sized cars are used for ordinary patrol work, with larger and more powerful vehicles being used for emergency response, traffic patrol and special services.

• Bertone Freeclimber
• Toyota Carina 2
• Subaru Legacy SW
• Alfa Romeo 155
• Fiat Brava 1600
• Alfa Romeo 156
• Alfa Romeo 159
• Fiat Panda 4x4
• Land Rover Freelander
• Land Rover Defender-90 hard top
• Fiat Punto 60 1 ^ series and ELX2 ^ series
• Fiat Stilo 1.9 JTD
• Fiat Ducato

• Moto Guzzi California Courassier
• BMW motorcycles F 650 GS and R85-T

• Agusta A109
• Agusta-Bell AB 412
• Agusta-Bell AB 206

• Land Rover Defender 110 soft top
• IVECO 40.10WM 4X4 off-road military truck - light armored vehicle based on the Iveco Daily, includes semi-armored and fully-armored variants called the VM90 Torpedo and VM90 Protected.
• Unimog
• Puma 6x6
• FIAT 6616
• VCC1

• Zodiac boats

• 
  The GEM "egg", vehicle for patrolling urban areas
• 
  Carabinieri Alfa Romeo 159
• 
  Carabinieri motorboat in central Venice
• 
  Carabinieri motorcycle in Rome
• 
  Inflatable Boat of the Gruppo di Intervento Speciale, in a parade June 2, 2007 )
• 
  Carabinieri Mercedes Unimog 3000 – 5000 mobile labs for NBCR (nuclear, bacteriological, chemical & radiological) activity

• gendarmerie
• constabulary
• military police
• paramilitary
• Zaptie
• Carlo Giuliani
• Law enforcement in Italy

• Template:It Official Carabinieri website
• Transclusion error: {{En}} is only for use in File namespace. Use {{langx|en}} or {{in lang|en}} instead. Official Carabinieri website