Description

The Polizia Stradale is the national highway patrol of Italy and is a sub-directorate of the Italian State Police. The Polizia Stradale patrols the 7,000 kilometers of motorways (autostrada) in Italy and the main highways and arterial roads outside towns. Missions include the prevention and detection of driving offences, traffic accident reporting, planning and carrying out services to regulate traffic, providing escorts for road safety, protecting and controlling the road network, rescue operations and cooperation in the collection of traffic flow data.

During the reconstruction after World War II the number of automobiles on the roads began to increase. In order to respond to the increasing requirements of this traffic, highway patrol sections were formed at 72 police headquarters with the employment of 2600 men and numerous motorcycles of various origins, mostly military surplus, in the first months of 1946. The PS was established by a decree issued 26 November 1947 signed by the former Temporary Head of the State, Enrico de Nicola.