Questura

About the role

The Questura (Police Headquarters) is the primary territorial office of the Polizia di Stato in each provincial capital. It is led by the Questore, the provincial technical authority for public security.

Structure and responsibilities

Typically, a Questura comprises two main divisions:

• Polizia Anticrimine (Anti-Crime Police) – Focuses on combating criminal activity.
• Polizia Amministrativa e Sociale (Administrative and Social Police) – Handles administrative and social policing duties.

Depending on the size and needs of the Questura, additional offices may report to these divisions. Standard internal offices include:

• Ufficio di Gabinetto (Cabinet Office)
• Ufficio del Personale (Personnel Office)
• Ufficio Prevenzione Generale e Soccorso Pubblico (General Prevention and Public Assistance Office)
• Digos (Division for General Investigations and Special Operations)
• Squadra Mobile (Mobile Squad – investigative unit)
• Ufficio Amministrativo-Contabile (Administrative and Accounting Office)
• Ufficio Sanitario (Health Office)

The internal structure may vary based on the size and specific challenges of the city, adapting to combat complex or deeply rooted forms of criminality.

Commissariati di Pubblica Sicurezza

In some municipalities and neighborhoods of large cities, Commissariati di Pubblica Sicurezza (Public Security Commissariats) operate under the Questura. These smaller offices replicate the Questura’s organizational model and are led by officials from the Polizia di Stato’s functional role. In municipalities outside the provincial capital, these officials also serve as the local public security authority.