The reflections of Mayor Marcacci Rossi and the head of the Palmieri Security Dicastery

When it comes to municipal police, the first term that comes to mind is ‘proximity’. That term, which encompasses concepts linked to the territory and the community – proximity, presence, knowledge – is the political shield that local administrators, mayors and municipalities, often use to counter the attacks of those who would like a single police force in Ticino, under the command of the Cantonal; admitting to the maximum the survival of only urban police, those who belong to the main cities, to be clear.

Gabriele Gottardi, born in 1984, has been in charge of the Intermunicipal Police of Ascona for one year and confirms the importance of proximity as a guideline and operational philosophy. For ten years now, Brissago has entrusted the management of safety to the Ascona Corps, signing an agreement that guarantees a 24-hour security presence on the territory.

From prevention to awareness

“We have developed a model that focuses on proximity and direct knowledge of people – explains the commander, at the head of 18 officers and, in total, 25 staff, including administrative services and police assistants –. Our organization includes a regional head of service, who takes care of relations between the body and the municipalities, and a territorial head of service, responsible for proximity and activities in the neighborhoods. To this is added the administrative part, which we manage for all the affiliated municipalities: Ascona, Brissago, Ronco sopra Ascona and Centovalli. In this way, we are able to guarantee a widespread and coordinated service, through availability and immediate intervention according to consolidated protocols”.

The police, however, do not limit themselves to guarding the territory: It also plays a role in raising awareness and education. “Over the years – explains the mayor, Veronica Marcacci Rossi, head of the School Dicastery – several collaborations have been promoted, which are less visible to the public, but still very significant. Information meetings were organised for the elderly and we encouraged in-depth discussions with school classes on the subject of bullying and cyberbullying.”

Why a convention between Brissago and Ascona

But what does it actually mean, for Brissago, to have an agreement with the Ascona Police?
“We provide 24-hour patrols – explains the commander – with daily crossings at least three times to the border. In the event of an emergency, a patrol intervenes immediately. We also cover the proximity service: supervision on exit from schools, traffic management, checks in fractions. We have a neighbourhood agent from Brissago, who is an added value because he knows the local community and the people well.’

He is echoed by the municipal Ottavio Palmieri, head of the Security Dicastery: “The municipal police is a fundamental watchdog of proximity and proximity to the population. In Brissago, following the cantonal legislative changes, for over ten years we no longer have a body of our own, but we can count on the collaboration with the Intermunicipal Police of Ascona. As Head of the Dicastery, I am considering how to improve and strengthen this cooperation, in a constant and positive dialogue with Commander Gottardi. At the same time, we are exploring possible measures to improve road conditions in the area, so as to make it smoother, safer and more efficient”.

Road traffic and road safety

In fact, for a country like Brissago, which is subject to heavy transit traffic flows, the issue of road traffic is closely linked to that of road safety: “Recently – explains the commander – we have installed a ‘friend radar’ to monitor speed and raise awareness among motorists. With the City Hall, we are assessing the need for any targeted traffic moderation measures, should they become necessary, on the municipal territory, with the aim of reducing speed and increasing safety. We do not limit ourselves to fines, but try to induce more respectful and safe behaviour.”

Mr Gottardi stressed that road safety covered several areas: it is necessary to ensure the safe crossing of schoolchildren, to protect cyclists and pedestrians, to prevent irregular stops that hinder movement: “It is daily work, with constant checks and presence on the ground. This also includes the road education project that one of our agents runs in collaboration with the Brissago school, currently we have two agents already specialized in school education and a third in the training phase.’

A sensitive area is that of parking spaces, often the subject of complaints especially in the fractions: “We carry out regular checks in the most sensitive areas, even in the most remote areas. Wild parking spaces or the abusive occupation of spaces for residents and people with disabilities are recurring problems: we intervene with targeted sanctions, but also with preventive awareness-raising actions, making ourselves available, together with the competent municipal and cantonal offices, to assess any structural improvement interventions”.

The value of proximity

Proximity means direct knowledge of the local reality. But is it a value that really distinguishes the municipal police or is it just a proclamation? Gottardi has no doubt: “Absolutely yes, it is a cardinal point of our work, which is not limited to drafting reports or intervening in cases of crime, but consists above all in knowing people and situations. Often we are also contacted by the Gendarmerie or the Judiciary, precisely because we have direct knowledge that is not found in any database. This knowledge also sometimes allows us to intervene before a situation degenerates: For example, with young people, we prefer a direct confrontation with them and with their parents, making them immediately understand the consequences of certain behaviours.”

And with regard to families, the news regularly confronts us with dramatic facts and situations... "Unfortunately, we see an increase in cases of discomfort and domestic violence, even in increasingly young age groups, a sad alignment with the trend in Switzerland that sees an increase of +6.1% of domestic violence cases and a +26% In this context, our role is to report to the competent authorities and, where possible, prevent further escalation. This is the added value of proximity: arrive before the problem becomes a judicial emergency”.

The presence of an agent employed in Ascona, who follows these issues, adds the mayor Marcacci Rossi, "allows children to develop greater confidence and facilitates dialogue on sensitive topics. It is crucial that the police are willing to address issues that are still under-treated, such as cyberbullying or domestic violence. Often, in fact, the people involved feel more comfortable confiding in figures they know and with whom they have established a relationship of trust. In this context, the relationships of collaboration and constant dialogue with the commander and the police force play an essential role: It is only through direct and continuous dialogue that ever-changing issues can be effectively tackled and adequate support provided to citizens.”