From 4 to 6 December 2024, the annual plenary meeting of the Network of Security Experts was held at the “Prefetto Carlo Mosca” Conference Hall in the SFP, which emphasized, once more, its recognized international vocation.
This event, which brought together the personnel of the Italian Police Forces serving at the embassies located abroad, belonging to the Criminal Police Central Directorate and the Central Directorate for Anti-Drug Services, represented an excellent opportunity to discuss the main issues of international security and share possible profiles for improvement, as emphasized by several outstanding lecturers who took part in the meeting.
The session was opened by Prefetto Raffaele Grassi, Deputy Director General of Public Security and Director of Criminal Police Central Directorate, who, in delivering his opening speech to the participants, took the opportunity to thank them for their valuable and delicate work carried out abroad under sometimes difficult conditions. Then, the Director of the Service for International Police Cooperation, the Guardia di Finanza Brigadier General Giampiero Ianni, delivered his welcome speech.
Representatives of the various Central Directorates and Department Offices illustrated the international activities carried out by their services. The lectures delivered by Senior Police Officers/Officials of the special offices of the Carabinieri Corps, National Police and Guardia di Finanza Corps resulted to be of great interest.
In the afternoon of 4 December, the session was concluded by the Ministerial Advisor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr. Alberto Dal Degan together with the SCIP Liaison Officer at MAECI, National Police Primo Dirigente Stefano Carvelli, who stressed the strategic importance of this Network for the Ministry.
The second day was dedicated to the five divisions of the SCIP, to the DCPC Criminal Analysis Service and to the European projects, including EMPACT – High Risk Criminal Network, the leadership of which has been assumed by Italy. In the afternoon, participants listened to the lectures delivered by Mexico City DEA Bureau Chief Todd Zimmermann and by a representative from the Department of Public Security’s Office of External Relations, who covered various issues related to communication.
On 6 December, during the closing ceremony, the Chief of Police – Director General of Public Security, Prefetto Vittorio Pisani, in the presence of the Commander General of the Carabinieri Corps, Lieutenant General Salvatore Luongo, the Commander General of the Guardia di Finanza Corps, Liutenant General Andrea De Gennaro, the Deputy Chief of the Department of Prison Administration, Mrs. Lina Di Domenico, welcomed the authorities attending this event. Then, Prefetto Raffaele Grassi, Deputy Director General of Public Security and Central Director of Criminal Police, outlined the significant and encouraging results achieved in 2024 by the Italian interagency law enforcement operational system. Furtherrmore, he highlighted how the activity of the Network of Security Experts represents a strategic resource, with the coverage of as many as 94 countries and the integration of several and complex multidisciplinary skills through which their activity provides an invaluable contribution aimed at understanding and countering the illegal activity conducted by transnational organized crime.
The Minister of the Interior, Prefetto Matteo Piantedosi, highlighted the extremely important role of the Experts at Italian Embassies around the world, while the Deputy President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, reiterated and emphasized the importance of cooperation and synergy between the Department of Public Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in defending the general interests of Italy through the strengthening of the international security network developed by the figure of the experts.
This plenary meeting was attended by 7 experts in the field of immigration countering from the Direzione Centrale dell’Immigrazione e della Polizia delle Frontiere (Central Directorate of Immigration and Border Police – DCIPF according to the Italian acronym), as well as more than 30 legal police attachés serving at foreign embassies in Rome.
