In the barracks of the Carabinieri in Naples and its province, there are moments when numbers cease to be mere statistics and transform into compelling human stories. This often occurs when a woman crosses the threshold, frequently after years of silence, unspoken violence, and fear.
A Human Approach to Law Enforcement
“She doesn’t just bring a complaint; she brings a piece of her life,” explains Captain Valentina Bianchin, commander of the Casoria Company, specializing in combating gender-based violence. “Our task is to mend, protect, listen without judgment, and act without hesitation. The most emotional moment is when you sense that ‘she no longer feels alone.’ It’s then that you understand you’re not just performing a technical duty, but a job with deeply human implications. And when one of them writes to you months later, just to say ‘I’m doing better,’ well… that’s our true victory.”
This human-centric approach is a key theme the Provincial Carabinieri Command chose to highlight in its 2025 summary: a focus on protecting the most vulnerable, and a security that prioritizes listening, protection, and presence.
The Unsung Heroes of the 112 Emergency Line
Such responses are evident in the calls received by the 112 operational center, a vital hub for thousands of citizens’ pleas for help. On average, the lines receive over 3,200 calls every 24 hours. Speaking about the incessant work of all operators behind the headsets, Marshal Major Bonaccorso states, “When the phone rings, you don’t know if it’s a lonely elderly person, a frightened child, a woman, or a family in danger. You listen, perceive their difficulties and distress, and in a few seconds, you must understand what is truly needed. It’s a job of the mind, of course, but also of the heart. The most challenging part is remaining clear-headed while the patrol reaches those in need. And when a colleague reports, ‘Arrived in time,’ that phrase is worth more than any statistic.”
Impressive Statistics and Behind-the-Scenes Dedication
Beyond the human stories, the numbers themselves are significant. In the past year, the Carabinieri of Naples arrested 3,495 individuals and reported 13,295. Twenty-one fugitives were captured, many of whom were on ministerial lists and tracked down even abroad. Over 424,000 people were identified, and 233,000 vehicles were checked. However, as General Biagio Storniolo, provincial commander of the Arma, emphasizes, “the data certainly carries weight. What truly makes a difference are the people: often silent professionals, far from the spotlight, without whom no mechanism would function.”
This commitment extends to new forms of crime. From the web, where the Cyber Investigation Unit reconstructs hidden plots behind fake profiles and IP addresses, to the 112 operational rooms, which receive an average of over 3,200 calls a day.
Combating Crime: Drugs, Weapons, and Road Safety
On the prevention and repression front, 2025 also marks significant results in the fight against drugs, with hundreds of arrests and tons of narcotics seized, and in combating the proliferation of weapons: 189 firearms, 141 bladed weapons, and 374 improvised weapons removed from circulation. Maximum attention was also paid to road safety: over 25,000 violations and more than 21 million euros in fines for the most serious infractions.
Environmental Protection and Organized Crime
Environmental oversight remains central in the ‘Terra dei Fuochi’ (Land of Fires), with coordinated actions involving Carabinieri foresters, police forces, the army, and the prefecture. Similarly, the commitment of bomb disposal experts has been crucial in recent weeks, with stringent controls on pyrotechnic material: from Pollena Trocchia to Cimitile, seizures and suspensions of illegal activities have prevented announced tragedies. Lieutenant Gaetano Savarese reflects on their work: “When we arrive at a suspicious device, the noise around disappears. What remains is silence, concentration, and the responsibility of knowing that the safety of many people depends on every action. There is no room for error. It’s a job that requires continuous technical preparation, but above all, mental balance.”
The Silent Work of Scientific Investigations
There is also the silent work behind homicides. Lieutenant Colonel Giuseppe Peluso, commander of the scientific investigation section of the Naples investigative unit, notes, “The crime scene speaks, but it speaks softly. You have to bend down, observe, enter into a logic that leaves no room for haste. A fingerprint, a fiber, an extra element: every detail can change the story before you. Many think it’s a job from a TV show; in reality, it’s made of endless hours of silence, cold lights, and reasoning that must fit together to the millimeter. But when an investigation closes thanks to a tiny fragment that only you noticed… well, you understand why you do it. It’s like completing a puzzle that no one sees, but which is worth justice.”
A decisive chapter is the fight against organized crime. Under the coordination of the District Anti-Mafia Directorate, the Arma has struck at the main clans active in the capital and metropolitan area: from the Licciardi clan, with 21 arrests on December 2nd, to groups in Nola and the Nola area, up to operations in Caivano, Ponticelli, and San Giovanni a Teduccio.
“The fight against mafias,” Storniolo reminds us, “is not just about large numbers, but about long, complex investigations that restore spaces of freedom to honest citizens.”
A State Present in Difficult Places
In the background, behind every operation, faces remain: those who listen to a plea for help, those who silently reconstruct a crime scene, those who defuse a device or rebuild a life shattered by violence. It is there, perhaps, that the deepest meaning of this balance lies: a security that is not just repression, but daily social reassurance. And a State that, even in the most difficult places, continues to make its presence felt.
