Verona Police Establish First Lake Garda Nautical Team Headquarters
The Prefect and the Police Chief of Verona inaugurated yesterday the headquarters of the Polizia di Stato Nautical Team, which has its logistical base inside the Palazzina Storica, in Piazza Catullo.
“This is the first permanent police station on Lake Garda, and we thank the municipal administration of Peschiera for providing us with the space to set up the base,” said Police Chief Armando Zingales, clarifying that the ministerial decision regarding the establishment of the service dates back to February 14th.
Team Composition and Equipment
The team is made up of eight men, expected to reach ten by the end of the year, who will perform daily duties from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; they will have, in addition to the existing equipment, an Offshore Motorboat of Nelson class recently transferred from the Questura di Reggio Calabria to that of Verona.
The vessel’s features make it suitable for operations even in poor weather conditions. The nautical team’s fleet also includes a land vehicle that will patrol the coasts and ports of the Garda Riviera, and not only those within Verona’s jurisdiction: the competence of the Arilicense section extends along much of the Brescia coast, up to the border with Trento province.
Functions and Operational Activities
Continuous surveillance and control are maintained to prevent and combat crimes, thanks to a direct connection with the Operations Room of the Questura and the Stradale. These are the institutional tasks, supplemented by interventions to assist vessels in distress.
The logistical base’s equipment, including radio communications functioning on maritime bands, will allow the collection of all SOS signals sent by vessels in movement on Garda. This presence is intended to contribute to the surveillance and safety of navigation in internal waters and to ensure compliance with the Navigation Code and special laws concerning recreational boating.
Recent Activities and Results
Since February 14th, the activities of the Nautical Team have involved initial coastal control from land, with 20 vehicles stopped and 35 people checked, as well as preventive surveillance at tourist facilities and boats moored in ports.
Since the resumption of navigation and coastal patrols in May, three rescue operations have been carried out in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies; fines totaling over three and a half million euros have been issued for violations of recreational boating laws; 48 pleasure craft and 144 individuals have been inspected.
Giuditta Bolognesi