Viterbo – Army Festival the next day, analysis of a great day dedicated to the homeland

Among the awards given was also that to the commander of the Tarquinia Carabinieri Station Stefano Girelli

VITERBO – Finally we are back to breathing the love of our country. The Carabinieri celebration held yesterday gave us back that military martiality that seemed to have disappeared.

Tricolors flying in the wind, banners illuminated by a scorching sun, military units represented by those discharged and that trumpet that marked the various phases of the ceremony.

We want to thank the colonel commander of the Carabinieri Group of Viterbo for giving the city a day of values ​​and gratitude to those men who work every day to protect the territories. The 210 years of history of the Carabinieri, in the evocative setting of Piazza San Lorenzo, were moments of great emotion and brotherhood of a people, the Italian one, who need these moments.

«The stars sewn on the collar of our uniforms are the cornerstone of that culture of “being more than appearing” which is instilled in us from a very young age in our military schools – continued Colonel Friano – An indispensable factor of cohesion and efficiency. A source of inspiration and stimulus for every policeman, to the silent humility in listening carefully to the needs of the population and the courage to act on the initiative; to reiterate on a daily basis the authentic role of the carabiniere, the dedication, the obligation to serve the citizen”.

Then addressed to the young people present at the ceremony: «you are the present of our society, not the future. You are citizens who contribute to building the present of this city and this province. – he underlined – Not only the future belongs to you but also the present. We continue to meet you in schools and invite you to our barracks to tell our stories, to explain who we are and what we do.

During the school year we worked to increase the culture of legality and awareness of the importance of safety among young people, encouraging knowledge and respect for the rules. With over 5000 students from the province of Viterbo, around 250 classes and their teachers, we have addressed very delicate issues such as safety in road traffic, substances of abuse and in particular drugs and alcohol, respect for people and the fight to every form of violence and abuse.”

Finally, the senior officer briefly reviewed the goals achieved in the last year by the Carabinieri constantly committed to protecting the citizens of Tuscia.

«In the past year, the Carabinieri prosecuted over 80% of the crimes committed in the province of Viterbo. – Friano reiterated – the percentage even increased in the first 5 months of 2024, exceeding 90%. More than 7,500 reports of crime were forwarded to the judicial authorities, with almost 2,000 people released into a state of freedom and almost 300 under arrest.

Prevention activity in the area was significantly increased with over 37,000 patrolling services, with more than 66,000 soldiers involved, which led to the control of over 80,000 vehicles and the identification of almost 150,000 people, to which must be added the almost 2000 public order services, carried out by around 4000 carabinieri”.

Percentages of predatory crimes stable in the last two years, and robberies at minimum levels. «A flattering result – he said – because prevention in the area, carried out by crews on patrol duty, is a silent and constant activity, tiring and apparently lacking in great satisfaction in the moment, but which bears fruit in the long term» .

Scams targeting the elderly are decreasing: «thanks to the prevention campaign, made up of meetings in recreational centers, in parishes and thanks to the continuous appeals that we relaunch with the contribution of friends of the press, the cases of private citizens who turn to immediately to our barracks and to the European emergency number 112 to promptly report any attempts”. Finally, the colonel spoke about the large quantities of narcotic substances seized by the police in the last 12 months.

«More than 100 arrests made during the year, with over 300 kg of drugs seized, among which stand out the 46 kg of hashish in Civita Castellana seized from a drug “courier” or the 100 kg of “kief” seized on the afternoon of 5 June 2023 by the Carabinieri of Tuscania, who in the morning had been rewarded at the Army Festival for another brilliant service operation. Added to this is the seizure, in the month of September, of more than 2,200 Indian hemp plants found by the Carabinieri of the Viterbo Company in an industrial warehouse, for a turnover of several hundred thousand euros”.