Page 38 - Coespu Magazine 2018-2

perspective, the deployment of police officers instead of soldiers is even more in line with the
country’s peace narrative whereby its international involvement aims at preserving peace,
protecting human rights and promoting democratic governance. In other words, the more ‘blue
colour’ (police) to whitewash the ‘green’ (military), the better: the result is less controversy in the
political debate and greater ease in gaining public support.
Finally, Italy’s significant participation in international policing is the result of Italian police force
simply being ‘good at it’. Indeed, the Carabinieri possess several specific skills and competences
that make them particularly suitable to meet the challenges of international policing and are
therefore highly-appreciated and in high demand to serve in the numerous crisis areas around the
world.
Three main features stand out: their robust character, their highly specialized competences and their
skills in training. As a police force with a military status, or gendarmerie, the Carabinieri are
characterized by a hybrid nature because they combine features of police and military forces. This
dual identity – and related training, discipline, operational doctrines, equipment and armaments, and
work ethos – makes them extremely valuable for the flexibility and capability of being deployed at
every phase of the conflict cycle, where they can be placed under both military and civilian
command. In short, the Carabinieri are capable of operating in challenging and volatile theatres
where they can fill the so-called ‘security gap’, i.e. the very sensitive phase in the conflict cycle that
lies between the cessation of military combat and the restoration of civil authority.
A second distinguishing
feature of the Italian
contribution to
international policing is
the excellence of the
Carabinieri in
performing a number of
highly specialized tasks
beyond the generic
duties typical of every
police deployment in
post-conflict theatres.
These tasks include
activities in specific
sectors such as
counterinsurgency and
counterterrorism, search
and apprehension of war criminals, intelligence gathering and analysis as well as environment
protection and the protection and preservation of cultural artefacts and heritage. Over the past
several years, the protection of cultural heritage has emerged as particularly relevant in the context
of crises and armed conflict, and hence, in peacekeeping missions and interventions. The Italian
contribution to the protection of cultural heritage comes principally through the Carabinieri
Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (Comando Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio
Culturale, TPC), which is viewed as the most effective policing force in the world for protecting
works of art and archaeological property and will be the backbone of the fledgling Task Force

36