Italy boosts police forces with hundreds of new officers across regions

The Italian government’s national security plan will place more than 3,000 newly trained police officers from the 233rd course into service during August‑September 2026. Regional allocations include 144 officers for Puglia, over 200 for Sicily, 139 for Calabria, 96 for Sardinia, 181 for Tuscany, 180 for Lombardy, 82 for Marche, 69 for Abruzzo, 58 for Palermo province and additional numbers for other provinces such as 34 for Pesaro‑Urbino, 20 for Bergamo and 14 for Brescia. The distributions aim to strengthen local police presences, improve territorial control and enhance crime‑prevention activities. Some regional leaders, notably Lombardy’s governor, have criticised the share of new agents as insufficient for the region’s size, while police unions warn that the reinforcements may still fall short of covering upcoming retirements. The plan reflects the Meloni government’s effort to address security concerns ahead of the summer tourist season.