by Maximiliano Crocamo
Interviews: Caterina de Gavardo, Trieste Councilor for Urban Security Policies; Walter Milocchi, Commander of the Trieste Local Police
The city of Trieste has added 16 new officers to its local police force, the result of a competitive hiring process launched earlier this year to strengthen staffing and expand operational capacity.
The new recruits were formally introduced at a press conference by Caterina de Gavardo, the city councillor responsible for urban security policies, alongside senior officials of the Local Police. Three additional officers, selected through the same process, are expected to join the force in the coming months.
The recruitment effort began in May, when the municipality opened a public competition to fill 19 entry-level positions in the Local Police. Candidates were required to pass three separate examinations—a written test, an oral interview and a physical fitness assessment—designed to evaluate professional knowledge, practical skills and physical readiness. The exams took place between September and October and concluded with a final ranking list of 42 eligible candidates.
Sixteen of those candidates were officially hired on Dec. 1. According to city officials, the remaining three positions will be filled shortly.
At the press conference, Ms. de Gavardo emphasized the mixed background of the new officers. Some are entering the profession for the first time, while six have transferred from other local police departments in the region, including Gorizia, Udine, Muggia and Monfalcone.
“This means that several of them already have experience and familiarity with the legal framework,” she said, adding that all recruits will nonetheless need to learn the operational procedures specific to Trieste’s Local Police.
The force currently includes about 240 officers, supported by roughly 50 staff members assigned to administrative duties. In recent years, the department has expanded both its scope and its organizational structure. It now operates around the clock, with a 24-hour operations center, and is fully equipped and armed, according to city officials.
The Local Police includes a motorized unit of about 50 officers and is organized into four territorial districts. Specialized divisions cover a wide range of responsibilities, including judicial police work, intervention in cases of violence and stalking, building and environmental enforcement, commercial oversight, document fraud, information gathering and community policing. Additional units focus on traffic technology and accident investigation.
The department also maintains a ceremonial unit responsible for escorting the city’s official banner at public events, as well as a recreational association that organizes sports activities and community events, including “San Nicolò si mette in moto,” a long-running initiative tied to the city’s winter festivities.
City officials said the average age of the new recruits is about 30. Eight are residents of Trieste, while the others come from elsewhere in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.
Since their formal hiring in early December, the new officers have been undergoing both theoretical and practical training, initially at the local police barracks. They will later attend courses at the regional training school in Paluzza. As of this week, they have begun active duty on city streets, where they can be identified by high-visibility yellow vests and caps. Their full uniforms will be introduced gradually as training continues.
Ms. de Gavardo said she offered two guiding principles to the new officers: to rely on the experience of senior colleagues and to maintain a consistently approachable attitude toward the public. She also thanked the city’s personnel department and Councillor Stefano Avian for overseeing the hiring process.
Walter Milocchi, the commander of the Local Police, praised the city administration and the municipal council for what he described as sustained attention to staffing needs.
“We are satisfied with the outcome of the selection,” he said, noting that many of the recruits already have professional experience and are familiar with the demands of the job. He expressed hope that the remaining vacancies could be filled next year by drawing from the existing eligibility list.
Some candidates, he added, come from the armed forces and are entitled under national regulations to a longer period—up to three months—to decide whether to accept the position. Those officers may join the force at a later stage.
City officials framed the new hires as part of a broader effort to reinforce public safety and ensure a visible, well-organized police presence throughout Trieste.
