by Nina Vaclavikova
Interview: Caterina de Gavardo, Trieste City Councillor for Public Safety; Paolo Jerman, Deputy Commander of the Trieste Municipal Police
Trieste’s municipal police have concluded the spring-summer phase of #RioniSicuri, a community policing initiative aimed at strengthening ties between residents and local authorities through neighborhood outreach and face-to-face engagement.
Launched as a pilot in spring 2025, the program places officers from the city’s Proximity Policing Unit in public spaces with a mobile office where residents can report concerns, seek information and discuss issues affecting their neighborhoods. City officials said positive feedback from the trial prompted the initiative’s expansion in 2026.
Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday at Passeggio Sant’Andrea, City Councillor for Public Safety Caterina de Gavardo said the latest phase, which ran from April 10 to July 17, broadened the program beyond neighborhood squares to include some of the city’s busiest public gardens.
Under the expanded format, officers visited two different neighborhoods every Tuesday morning, while Friday afternoons were dedicated to seven public parks and gardens, including Barcola, Villa Revoltella and Passeggio Sant’Andrea. Officials said the green spaces provided more opportunities for extended conversations with residents, as well as visitors and tourists.
The municipality retained stops in neighborhoods such as Roiano, San Giacomo, Borgo San Sergio and Valmaura, while adding new locations including Cavana, Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Piazza Hortis and Piazzale De Gaspari.
According to city officials, the initiative collected about 100 reports from residents during the spring-summer campaign. Most concerned urban decay, abandoned vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles, which were forwarded to the relevant municipal departments for follow-up.
De Gavardo said the project responds to residents’ requests for a stronger police presence on foot and greater accessibility to local officers. She described the initiative as an opportunity to gather feedback directly from the community while improving residents’ perception of safety.
Paolo Jerman, deputy commander of the Municipal Police, said the Proximity Policing Unit consists of nine officers trained to provide information and receive reports from the public. By bringing the service into neighborhoods through the mobile office, he said, residents can access police services without traveling to police headquarters, while officers gain a better understanding of local concerns.
The program will pause during the summer before resuming later in the year, according to municipal officials, who said the positive response from residents supports plans to continue and further develop the initiative.
