Commander-in-Chief of the Police paid a visit to Italy - Strengthening cooperation for the sake of common security. Awarding Medals for Meritorious Service to the Police
Strengthening bilateral police cooperation and new challenges for law enforcement agencies in the face of threats in the digital world - these were the key topics of the talks between Commander-in-Chief of the Police, General Jarosław Szymczyk and representatives of Italian police forces. The Chief of Polish Police also decorated Italian officers and representatives of the Polish diplomatic corps in Italy with Medals for Meritorious Service to the Police for their involvement and cooperation.
The visit of the Chief of Polish Police to Italy provided an opportunity to meet with Chief Commandant of Polizia Di Stato (State Police), Prefect Lamberto Gianinni. The Chief of Police expressed his thanks for many years of effective Polish-Italian police cooperation. He emphasized the importance of support that Italian officers render to the Polish police officers and expressed hope for further dynamic, multidimensional development of bilateral cooperation.
During the meeting, much attention was paid to the issue of police operations in the face of the still real threat posed by the coronavirus. The heads of the services shared their experiences and practices that the police agencies of both countries have gained during the pandemic.
The issue of combating cybercrime was also brought up. In this context, General Jarosław Szymczyk referred to the project of establishing the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime, which is to be an uncompromising, firm reaction of the Polish Police to cyber attacks and growing threats to public safety which consist of criminal use of modern technologies. Participants of the meeting unanimously agreed that the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies in this area relies mainly on effective cooperation, intensive exchange of experience, continuous improvement of competences, as well as extensive use of available IT tools in day-to-day work of the Police.
The agenda also included a meeting with Chief Commander of Guardia di Finanza (Fiscal Guard Corps) - Army Corps General Giuseppe Zafarana. The Polish Police and Guardia Di Finanza have been cooperating for years, mainly on the grounds of training and bilateral exchange of information concerning economic crime. The heads of the agencies unanimously agreed that economic crime in its broadest sense is one of the most dynamically developing crime areas, requiring particular commitment, knowledge and skills from the authorities responsible for combating it. Both commanders acknowledged their cooperation to date, taking a joint position on the prospects for its further development.
On October 12, 2021 at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Rome a ceremony was held to present Medals for Meritorious Service to the Police, which are a symbolic token of gratitude for those involved in Polish-Italian efforts to promote security. The ceremony was attended by the Commander-in-Chief of the Police, General Jarosław Szymczyk, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Rome Ms Anna Maria Anders, members of the Polish diplomatic corps in Italy, as well as representatives of Italian police services and administration authorities.
The Medals for Meritorious Service to the Police were presented by the Commander-in-Chief of the Police to, inter alia, Ambassador Anna Maria Anders, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland to the Holy See and to the Order of Malta, Mr. Janusz Kotański, selected representatives of the Polish diplomatic corps in Italy, as well as Italian officers who excelled in their cooperation with the Polish Police.
In his speech, the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Police thanked the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Rome for the invitation and for opening the doors of the Polish Embassy wide to the participants of the meeting. He expressed his appreciation for the cooperation with the Italian law enforcement agencies, thanks to which Poles - so eager to visit the Apennine Peninsula - can feel safe. He also thanked the representatives of the Italian law enforcement authorities and the employees of the Polish Embassy for their support of the activities of the Police Liaison Officer.
During the visit to Italy, the Commander-in-Chief of the Police was accompanied by the Director of the Bureau of International Police Cooperation, Col. Paulina Filipowiak.
