Neighborhood Cop Initiative Big Success

A new program in Florence is bringing the police force closer to the city and its people. Neighborhood officers are now assigned to points throughout the city. Within its first four hours of operation, the officers assisted 500 citizens and collected 200 reports.

As of October 4, the first 47 out of 78 Security Points have been activated in different areas in the city. At these points, the officers are available to assist anyone who needs any help. The service was tested in Piazza Pier Vettori and exceeded expectations. In the next few days, the rest of the points will be fully operative.

Whether it be for information or a safety concern, Safety Councilor Federico Gianassi said that the officers will work quickly and effectively to assist whoever needs them. One of the intentions of the program is for the officers to intervene as immediately as possible to prevent any further crimes.

Alessandro Casale, commander of the Municipal Police, explained that the purpose of this new program isn’t only to help the people of Florence, but to close the gap that’s often present between civilians and law enforcement. He hopes the new program will allow people to feel more comfortable approaching officers.  To read more in Italian, visit Florence’s La Repubblica news site. (deanna carbone)