On 18 February 2025, the above-mentioned meeting was held at the “Prefetto Carlo Mosca”, Conference Hall, in cooperation with the Research Centre on the Public Administrations “Vittorio Bachelet” – LUISS, the National Association of the Civil Administration Officials of the Ministry of the Interior (ANFACI according to the Italian acronym) and in the framework of the PhD in “Changing society: policies, rights and security” – University of Tuscia. Several experts and professionals from various sectors, as well as from the Police Forces and universities provided their contribution to discuss the topic concerning security as a collective and shared value.
The Director of the Scuola di Perfezionamento per le Forze di Polizia, National Police Dirigente Generale Maurizio Vallone, started the session and emphasized the central topic of this meeting, that is to say the importance of dialogue between institutions and society in this sensitive sector.
The trainees of the XL Advanced Training Course, as well as a delegation of the Carabinieri Officers’ Academy, the trainees of the XXIX Second Level Analysis Course and several PhD students from the University of Tuscia attended this meeting.
Then, Prefetto Ignazio Portelli, President of ANFACI, extended his greetings to the participants and explained that security is no longer just a matter of public order, but involves many social, cultural and urban planning aspects.
Legal and institutional experts delivered their lectures during the first panel, which was dedicated to the function of security to protect the territory and the citizens. Mr. Alessandro Sterpa, Professor of Constitutional Law, analyzed the concept of “security in society” as well as the challenges related to the interaction between law and security. Then, Mrs. Giovanna Pistorio, Associate Professor of Public Law, dealt with the topic of urban DASPO and analyzed its implications in relation to urban security and the protection of individual rights.
Afterwards, Mr. Riccardo Ursi, Professor of Administrative Law, delved into the topic concerning law-enforcement discretion and the considerable relevance of judicial review also for the protection of rights provided for by the Constitution, while Mr. Vincenzo Antonelli, Professor of Administrative and Public Law, dealt with the concept of shared security as a fundamental tool to build collective protection network involving not only the police forces but also the citizens.
Moreover, during the second panel, the experts took part in a discussion concerning the management of territory, the redevelopment of urban areas and the activity of crime prevention and repression.
In this regard, the Mayor of Naples, Mr. Gaetano Manfredi, participated in video-conference and focused the attention on the need for local administrations and central institutions to work together, with the aim of arranging appropriate integrated interventions to ensure security in the towns.
During his lecture, Mr. Michele Di Bari, Prefetto of Naples, examined the daily challenges and the importance of ensuring order and security in the most vulnerable areas, while Mr. Nicola Gratteri, Senior Prosecutor of Naples, highlighted the fundamental role of the judiciary in the fight against organized crime and made reference to very relevant and complex issues concerning security in the suburbs, politics, immigration and the need to improve conditions in the areas most affected by urban decay in the Italian towns. The analysis of these topics brought to light the social, political and logistical challenges that many territories have not already fully faced.
According to Prosecutor Gratteri, the living conditions could be improved by providing young people with appropriate opportunities of work, thus reducing crime, which represents an urgent challenge requiring concrete actions as well as a long-term perspective.
Architect Massimo Roj described a project conceived and delivered to the Municipality of Milan, concerning the redevelopment of an area of urban decay in the San Siro district. This project, which does not include costs for the Public Administration, is aimed at integrating the citizens already living in that district, thus avoiding the separation or expulsion from that area of people living in public housing. Moreover, this project is aimed at bringing about a significant increase in public green areas and environmental sustainability.
Then, Mr. Vincenzo Salamone, President of the Campania Region Administrative Court, dealt with the topic related to the legal implications of security and the need for a balance between rights and prevention measures.
The conclusions of the panel discussion were assigned to the Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of the Interior, Member of Parliament Nicola Molteni, who reiterated the importance of an integrated approach to security, which should not be limited to police action but should involve the whole society, the commitment of the Government and the Ministry of the Interior, in order to ensure new technological investments for the protection of the territory and the reorganization of Police Forces staff.
Finally, Mr. Federico Ruffo, journalist and moderator in the meeting, closed the session and emphasized the value of a shared security culture and of collective responsibility.
The conference underlined that security cannot be considered as a steady or purely legal concept, but it is an issue affecting all sectors of social life, from public policies to urban design, passing through the culture of legality.
As a matter of fact, security is increasingly perceived as a shared responsibility, involving citizens, institutions and police forces in a complex network of coordinated actions.
The panel discussion, therefore, offered a fundamental food for thought to oveview the condition of security in society, but also to draw guidelines aiming at building a security culture that should be based not only on the repression of crime, but also on inclusiveness, prevention and participation.
