Vatican City State
Many law enforcement services in the Vatican are provided by the Vatican City State Gendarmerie (Corpo della Gendarmeria dello Stato della Città del Vaticano). Headed by an Inspector General, the force of 130 Italian officers sits structurally in the Security Services and Civil Defence Directorate.
Mandate:
Structure:
Their mandate is to:
Operations and Control Room:
Created in 2000 and operational 24 hours a day, an operations and control centre coordinates law enforcement action required in emergency and crisis situations. It is equipped with state-of-the-art alarm and video surveillance systems.
Gendarmerie Music Band:
Founded in 2007, the Band is made up of 100 volunteer conservatory graduates who come from Italian military bands across the country.
The Pontifical Swiss Guard also provides security services. Part of Rome’s Catholic Church, the Swiss Guard is a separate body, independent of the Gendarmerie. The Swiss Guard safeguards the city entrances and is in charge of the personal safety of the Pope, dignitaries and papal buildings.
The INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) for the Vatican State City is part of the Gendarmerie. Staffed with five officers, the NCB’s mandate is to :