Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza

Last updated
Central Security Task Group
Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza (Italian)
Italian NOCS 01.jpg
Official Insignia
Active1978 - present
CountryFlag of Italy.svg  Italy
Agency Polizia di Stato
Type Police tactical unit
Role
Part ofDirezione Centrale della Polizia di Prevenzione [1]
Motto"Sicut Nox Silentes" [2]
Silent as the Night
AbbreviationNOCS
Commanders
Current
commander		Antonino Giralda Basile
Notable
commanders

Andrea Mainardi

  • Andrea Scandurra
  • Maurizio Genolini
  • Edoardo Perna
  • Paolo Gropuzzo

The Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza(NOCS) (English: Central Security Task Group) is the police tactical unit of the Polizia di Stato, one of Italy's national police forces. It operates under the command of the Direzione Centrale della Polizia di Prevenzione (English: Central Directorate for the Anti-Terrorism Police). [1] [3]

Contents

History

Photo of Army Parade in Rome, 2 June 2006, Republic Day. NOCS special groups 2june2006 309.jpg
Photo of Army Parade in Rome, 2 June 2006, Republic Day. NOCS special groups

In 1974 the Chief of the Polizia di Stato Anti-Terrorism Bureau, Emilio Santillo, announced the necessity to establish a tactical unit with the capability to arrest known terrorists and to support the local counter-terrorism field office. Personnel were selected from Police Sports Group "Fiamme Oro ("Gold Flames"), particularly trained in martial arts. The 35-man team was denominated "counter-commando unit" and commanded by Maj. Andrea Sgandurra, an officer with counter-insurgency experiences, and a skilled proponent of hand-to-hand combat skills. After one year of training (offensive driving, sniping, various shooting skills, and a tactical assault course) in 1975 the unit became operational and immediately started mission against the left wing terrorist organization NAP ("Nuclei Armati Proletari", Proletarian Armed Service). Later they operated against the right wing group "New Order", which resulted in the arrests of well-known terrorists Gentile Schiavone and Pierluigi Concutelli. In 1978, the Italian government decided to modify the structure of the Anti-Terrorist Bureau to improve its capabilities. This change resulted in the formation of SISMI (military intelligence), SISDE (civilian intelligence), and a police counter-terrorism agency (Ufficio Centrale per le Investigazioni Generali e le Operazioni Speciali (UCIGOS) also known as the Central Office for General Investigations and Special Operations). This office was the only responsible for Italian counter-terrorism. The UCIGOS's tactical unit became the NOCS (Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza, Central Security Operations Service), the old counter-commando unit with far more operatives, training, and responsibilities. During its 22 years of existence, NOCS has performed more than 4,500 missions and 205 arrests. The 25–42 operatives studied terrorist methodology and created innovative tactics procedures. Their motto is Sicut Nox Silentes (As Silent as Night).

In 1982 under the tactical command of Captain Edoardo Perna a 12-man section, without firing a single shot, freed Brigadier General James Dozier, who had been held hostage by Red Brigades terrorists. [2] [4] In the following years NOCS expanded in size and capabilities and under new command, then Major Maurizio Genolini, became a full-fledged counter-terrorism unit, with capabilities of operations on aircraft, trains, buses, embassies, and stadium areas and established good relations with several counter-terrorism units in the western world.

Recently, NOCS has undergone another change and become the Anti-Terrorism Special Operations Division. The unit improved capabilities in C3I and a computer and video section was added. NOCS was innovative regarding the incorporation of computers in training formalizing this with the addition of a separate video section. NOCS also expanded its training in VIP protection and driving, augmented by training with the well-established United States Secret Service. This relationship sparked the creation of a unit similar in form and function to United States Secret Service counter-terrorism teams as well. VIP protection is not a main mission for NOCS, but they are responsible for this duty when high risk personalities come to Italy.

In 2017, NOCS revealed that a female operator, known as "Marta", become part of the operational unit of the department, one of the first cases in European law enforcement where a woman is recruited in a police-tactical unit. [5]

Structure

The NOCS 2june 2007 498.jpg
The NOCS

Today, SOD/NOCS have three tactical assault teams and one protection division. All operatives have HALO jump training, explosive ordnance disposal training, sniper and combat shooting. Several operatives have scuba diving training as well. SOD has a logistics branch with specialized personnel in support of operatives. NOCS has several specialized vehicles, operated by specially trained drivers. The basic training last six months and is followed by an advance training program lasting an additional six months.

Prospective recruits must have at least four years of service with the PS and be at least 28 years old when they enlist. [2]

Equipment

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carabinieri</span> Italian police force

The Carabinieri are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign policing duties. It is one of Italy's main law enforcement agencies, alongside the Polizia di Stato and the Guardia di Finanza. As with the Guardia di Finanza but in contrast to the Polizia di Stato, the Carabinieri are a military force. As the fourth branch of the Italian Armed Forces, they come under the authority of the Ministry of Defence; for activities related to inland public order and security, they functionally depend on the Ministry of the Interior. In practice, there is a significant overlap between the jurisdiction of the Polizia di Stato and Carabinieri, although both of them are contactable through 112, the European Union's Single Emergency number. Unlike the Polizia di Stato, the Carabinieri have responsibility for policing the military, and a number of members regularly participate in military missions abroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beretta 93R</span> Machine pistol

The Beretta 93R is an Italian selective-fire machine pistol, designed and manufactured by Beretta in the late 1970s for police and military use, that is derived from their semi-automatic Beretta 92. The "R" stands for Raffica, which is Italian for "volley", "flurry", or "burst".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polizia di Stato</span> National police force in Italy

The Polizia di Stato is one of the national police forces of Italy. Alongside the Carabinieri, it is the main police force for providing police duties, primarily to cities and large towns, and with its child agencies it is also responsible for highway patrol (autostrade), railways (ferrovie), airports (aeroporti), customs as well as certain waterways, and assisting the local police forces.

Specialna Enota Policije (SEP) is the police tactical unit of the Slovenian National Police Force. SEP is utilised for counter-terrorism and other high-risk tasks that are too dangerous or too difficult for regular police units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gruppo di intervento speciale</span> Elite unit of the Italian Gendarmerie

The Gruppo di Intervento Speciale (GIS) is the special forces unit of the Carabinieri. The Carabinieri, a branch of the Italian Armed Forces responsible for both military and civil policing, formed GIS in 1978 as a police tactical unit. In 2004, GIS assumed a special operations role, evolving to a special forces unit, in addition to the police tactical unit role, becoming part of the Comando interforze per le Operazioni delle Forze Speciali (COFS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beretta M12</span> Submachine gun

The Beretta M12 is a 9×19mm Parabellum caliber submachine gun designed by Beretta. Production started in 1959, the first users were the Italian Carabinieri, Italian State Police and the Guardia di Finanza, though in limited numbers; it was only widely issued beginning in 1978, replacing the old Beretta MAB. In 1962 the Italian Army bought a limited number of Franchi LF-57 submachine guns, judged better than the M12 but never issued to the troops, and only in 1992 the M12S2 variant was introduced, in very limited numbers. The Italian Air Force, instead bought many M12S and M12S2 for the airport security units. However, the weapon had a higher initial success in the Arab countries and South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MARCOS</span> Indian Navy special operations force

The Marine Commandos, abbreviated to MARCOS and officially called the Marine Commando Force (MCF), are the special forces of the Indian Navy. The MARCOS were originally named Indian Marine Special Force, which was later changed to Marine Commando Force to impart "an element of individuality" to it, according to the Indian Navy. The abbreviation 'MARCOS' was coined afterwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Assault Team</span> Japanese police tactical units

The Special Assault Team is a police tactical unit maintained by individual Japanese prefectural police forces and supervised by the National Police Agency. It is a national-level counterterrorism unit that cooperates with territorial-level Anti-Firearms Squads and Counter-NBC Terrorism Squads. Most information on the unit has been confidential, its existence officially revealed only in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Counter-terrorism Rapid Response</span> Special unit of the Guardia di Finanza

The Counter-terrorism Rapid Response, formed in 1983, is a special police unit of Italy's Guardia di Finanza. It is tasked with counter-terrorism operations and the protection of VIPs and places of interest in the country. The ATPI has also participated in operations in Albania, Kosovo, and Hungary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beretta AR70/90</span> Assault rifle

The Beretta AR70/90 is a gas operated assault rifle chambered for the 5.56×45 mm NATO cartridge, and is the standard issue service rifle of the Italian Armed Forces. The weapon is also designed to be fitted with a rifle grenade, and has grenade sights. The AR series comes in many variants such as the AR90, with a wire folding stock, for use by paratroopers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (Serbia)</span>

The Special Anti-Terrorist Unit, is an elite tactical unit of the Serbian Police.

The 1st Carabinieri Paratroopers Regiment "Tuscania" is a special operations unit of the Italian Carabinieri. Together with the 7th Carabinieri Regiment in Laives, the 13th Carabinieri Regiment in Gorizia, and the Special Intervention Group it forms the 2nd Carabinieri Mobile Brigade. The regiment is based in Livorno, and has approximately 550 personnel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service</span> Military unit

The Counter Terrorism Service is a special operations force of Iraq. The Agency was founded in 2007, but originally was created in 1950, but was disbanded and recruited from scratch by the United States federal government after the 2003 U.S. invasion. It was originally known as the Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF). The forces, directed by the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service, consist of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Command, which has three brigades subordinate to it. The Counter Terrorism Service is funded by the Iraqi Ministry of Defence.

The Raggruppamento Operativo Speciale (ROS), or Special Operations Group, is part of the Italian Carabinieri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rendőrség</span> Civil law enforcement agency in Hungary

The Rendőrség is the national civil law enforcement agency of Hungary and is governed by the Interior Ministry. It was formerly established under the Hungarian People's Republic in 1955, formally known as the Magyar Népköztársaság Rendőrsége.

The 1st Carabinieri Mobile Brigade is a Carabinieri formation tasked with riot control, civil defence and security duties.

The Carabinieri Heliborne Squadron "Cacciatori di Calabria" is a Carabinieri squadron based at the "Luigi Razza" Airbase, Vibo Valentia, Italy. The unit was established on 1 July 1991.

The following is the structure of the Italian Navy as of June 2020. It is considered a multiregional and a blue-water navy.

References

  1. 1 2 "Investigations". Polizia di Stato. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 "GIS and NOCS: Italy's Law Enforcement Counterterrorism Units". 19 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Il Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza (Nocs)". Ministero dell'interno (in Italian). 5 January 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  4. ↑ "'Storia del NOCS' di Edoardo Perna".
  5. ↑ Scampini, Sabrina (24 March 2017). "Io, prima donna dei Nocs, combatto i terroristi all'insaputa della mia famiglia". IO Donna (in Italian). Retrieved 12 October 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.