Monday, January 25, 2010

Carabiniere Station

Molfetta's Carabiniere station is located on the south edge of town, just one block from the beach. The Carabiniere are a branch of military police. I have never quite figured out the subtle differences between all the various types of Italian police: you have your vigili, polizie, carabinieri, finanzieri, aeronautico, marina militare, etc. The list goes on and includes your coast guard, forest service and environmental and zoological police to name a few others.

I guess their names are pretty self-explanatory. I'm just not sure when you should call the "polizia" or when it would be better to call the "carabinieri." Hopefully, I won't ever have to call either!

7 comments:

Luis Gomez said...

I guess it was a nice building at some point but it seems to be needing some love from the Carabiniere. ;)

Stefan Jansson said...

On a visit to Italy many years ago me and my friends were stopped by the Carabiniere. We didn't have any ID-cards on us and they told us that we were breaking a law and would have to follow them back to their headquarters. We were a bit shocked, but then we heard laughter. It was a group of Italian girls we'd spent some time with at a nightclub that was was playing a joke on us!

Rob Siemann said...

We have the same problem here, there are 8 or 9 different police forces. Should anything happen, we wouldn't know who to call.

Chuck Pefley said...

Their building does lack imagination, doesn't it?

Lowell said...

Well, if I wasn't confused before I am now and I don't know what to do about it!

I guess you could just yell, "Polizia - any kind, help!"

But, like you say, hopefully the need will never come to pass.

Or, you could also stop in this station and ask them what they are all about...

Saretta said...

Luis and Chuck - I so agree with you! Just look at those balconies! Seems like they are only investing in that big satellite thingy on the roof.

Steffe - that's funny! Maybe only in Italy could you get the police force to participate in a silly joke like that.

R&M - confusing, huh?

Jacob - they would probably arrest me for something or other if I just casually cruised in and started asking questions. Like, maybe I shouldn't have taken a picture of their building!!!

VP said...

The Polizia is usually only in cities, Carabinieri are territorial, like the Gendarmerie in France or the Guardia Civil in Spain, and are everywhere even in small villages.
In cities their duties overlap, but in the rest of the counrty you have to call Carabinieri.