The
Italian African Police

Italian African Police (Italian:
Polizia

Polizia dell'Africa Italiana, or
PAI), was the Police of "Italian Africa" from 1 June 1936 and 1
December 1941.[1]
Contents
1 Characteristics
2 Origin
3 Organization
4 Strength
5 World War II
5.1 Africa
5.2 Defense of Italy
5.3 Salò Republic
6 Ranks
7 Uniform
8 References
9 Notes
10 See also
Characteristics[edit]
After the end of the war in
Ethiopia

Ethiopia in late 1936 early 1937, the
Corps of "
Polizia

Polizia Coloniale" (Colonial Police) was created to be the
police in the colonies in Africa (Libya) and it started issuing its
own license plates in March 1938. The unit was created as a result of
the reorganization of public safety units operating in Italian North
Africa (Africa Settentrionale Italiana, or ASI) and to later garrison
Ethiopia

Ethiopia and the rest of
Italian East Africa
.svg/250px-Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946).svg.png)
Italian East Africa (Africa Orientale
Italiana, or AOI).
In 1939 it became "
Polizia

Polizia dell'Africa Italiana" (Police of Italian
Africa), or P.A.I. and received armoured cars, light tanks
(tankettes), motorcycles, motor-tricycles and cars, in totaling they
were about 1,000 vehicles and as many motorcycles.
When the Italian empire fell, the P.A.I. forces were moved in Rome
with duties of public order until the liberation of the city on 4 June
1944 when the corps was disbanded and all its vehicles and equipment
were taken by the police (Polizia). The new corps was initially
subordinated to the Ministry of the Colonies and then to the "Ministry
of Italian Africa" (then held by Alessandro Lessona). This was the
first case in Italy of an Armed Force put under a civil ministry.
The PAI had a reputation for discipline and high training levels, and
for being provided with good equipment. Even after the collapse of
AOI, the PAI were able to keep the peace in Addis Ababa, the capital
of Ethiopia.
Origin[edit]
The Royal Decree of 10 June 1937, n. 1211, established its organic
regulations, for which it was a militarily organized civil body and
making it part of the Italian Armed Forces, with functions of
political, judicial and administrative police.
Organization[edit]
The force was a racially mixed organization, made up of Italian agents
and many native askaris. It was located in police headquarters of
major cities like Tripoli, Benghazi, Asmara, Addis Ababa, Mogadishu,
Gondar, or in small commissariats otherwhere.
The PAI training school was in Tivoli.
Part of the PAI personnel was mounted on
Moto Guzzi

Moto Guzzi motorcycles, with
many armed with the Beretta M1938A 9 mm sub-machine gun.
Strength[edit]
At the outbreak of
World War II

World War II the PAI had 7,672 men, of which 6,345
were in AOI (Eritrea,
Ethiopia

Ethiopia and Italian Somalia) and 1,327 were in
ASI (Italian Libya). The bulk of the force consisted of indigenous
personnel who were trained and equipped to the same standard as
Italian personnel. There were 5,142 indigenous personnel, 4,414 from
AOI and 732 from ASI.
World War II[edit]
The PAI fought bravely during
World War II

World War II in the Italian colonies and
in Italy.
Africa[edit]
During World War II, the PAI fought as a combat unit alongside the
Italian Army. For the garrison of the Libyan littoral way, at the
outbreak of the conflict two companies on motorcycles and an armored
car were assigned to the Exploring Unit of the CAM (Corpo armato di
manovra) Battalion "Romolo Gessi". They had little fortune since,
after a sudden enemy attack, numerous soldiers were hit by friendly
fire from German aircraft. The battalion repaired in
Tripolitania

Tripolitania and
was converted into a mixed company. Several units participated in war
actions, at Tripoli, Benghazi, Barce, but the details regarding
effective employment are insufficient.
Defense of Italy[edit]
After the Armistice of Cassibile, the evening of 8 September 1943 the
PAI participated to the defense of
Rome

Rome engaging the first conflict
with the Germans at Mezzocammino, near Castelfusano, with troops of
Carabinieri, in aid to a garrison of Grenadiers of Sardinia. On the
other side of Rome, at the same time, some troops protected the escape
of the King
Victor Emmanuel III

Victor Emmanuel III along the via Tiburtina, the King and
the
Prime Minister of Italy

Prime Minister of Italy Pietro Badoglio; once accomplished the
task they were sent along the Via Laurentina. On 9 September the
PAIRS, with the
Bersaglieri
.jpg/340px-Bersagliere_in_uniform_(circa1900).jpg)
Bersaglieri and cadet police officers, forced for a
while the Germans to retreat from the
Magliana

Magliana area; however, after
some hours they had in turn to withdraw in direction of Fort Ostiense,
which was later stormed by the Germans.
The commander and founder of the PAI, General Marraffa, was captured
by the Nazis and deported to the Dachau concentration camp, where he
died.
Salò Republic[edit]
Later, there was a reorganization attempt in northern Italy, with the
opening of a PAI school at
Busto Arsizio

Busto Arsizio in the autumn of 1943.
However, the troops were absorbed by the Republican Police Force of
the Italian Social Republic, and finally by the Republican National
Guard.
Ranks[edit]
Ranks were as for the
Italian Army

Italian Army with enlisted rank being the older
style larger pattern of red chevrons worn on both upper sleeves.
PAI Rank
Allievo guardia
Guardia di Polizia
Guardia scelta
Vice brigadiere
Brigadiere
Aspirante ispettore
Ispettore aggiunto
Ispettore
Primo ispettore
Ispettore capo
Vice questore
Questore
Ispettore generale
Capo della polizia dell'Al
Italian Army

Italian Army Rank
Soldato
Caporale
Caporale maggiore
Sergente
Sergente maggiore
Aspirante
Sottotenente
Tenente
Capitano
Maggiore
Tenente Colonnello
Colonnello
Generale di Brigata
Generale di Divisione
Uniform[edit]
Personnel wore the standard Italian khaki tropical uniform but with a
blue aiguilette fixed from the right shoulder strap to the second
button down the front of his tunic. Personnel also wore a small gold
PAI badge on the front of their headgear and small brass fasces pinned
directly to their collars. Motorcycle mounted personnel wore a brown
leather crash helmet, light khaki breeches with brown leather boots
and leather leggings to protect the lower legs.
References[edit]
"Le Uniformi dell'AOI (Somalia 1889-1941)" Priero Crocaini and Andrea
Viotti.
"P.A.I.
Polizia

Polizia dell'Africa Italiana" by Raffaele Girlando
Notes[edit]
^
Polizia

Polizia Africa Italiana (in Italian)
See also[edit]
Carabinieri
gendarmerie
constabulary
military police
paramilitary
Zaptie
Dubats
Law enforcement in Italy
Polizia
East African Campaign (World War II)
v
t
e
Italian Armed Forces
Esercito Italiano (Army) Marina Militare (Navy) Aeronautica
Militare (Air Force) Arma dei
Carabinieri

Carabinieri (Gendarmerie)
Leadership
Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of Army Staff
Chief of Navy Staff
v
t
e
Italian Empire
Subdivisions
Western Mediterranean
Southeastern France
Monaco
Corsica
Balkans
Albanian Kingdom
Islands of the Aegean
Kingdom of Croatia
Dalmatia
Greece
Hellenic State
Principality of the Pindus
Ionian Islands
Italian Province of Lubiana
Kingdom of Montenegro
Italian East Africa
Italian Eritrea
Eritrea Governorate
Italian Somaliland
Somalia Governorate
Italian Oltre Giuba
British Somaliland
Italian Ethiopia
Amhara Governorate
Harrar Governorate
Galla-Sidamo Governorate
Scioa Governorate
Italian Libya
Libya
Cyrenaica
Tripolitania
Fezzan
Far East
Italian concession of Tientsin
Concessions of Italy in China
Planned expansion
Egypt
Majorca
Tentative to occupy French Somaliland
Kenya
Sudan
Malta
Ticino, Valais and Grisons
Tunisia
The Italian empire before WWII is shown in red. Pink areas were
annexed/occupied for various periods between 1940 and 1943. Italian
concessions and forts in China are not shown.
Settlers and Irredentism
Settlers and colonists
Albania
Dodecanese
Dalmatia
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Libya
Somalia
Tunisia
Egypt
Lebanon
Gibraltar
Irredentism
Corsica
Nice
Savoy
Dalmatia
Istria-Venezia Giulia
Malta
Switzerland
Corfu
Architecture
Governmental
Governor's Palace (Mogadishu)
Governor's Palace (Tripoli)
Governor's Palace (Asmara)
Asmara

Asmara Presidential Palace (Asmara)
Civilian
Mogadishu

Mogadishu Cathedral
Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Asmara
Benghazi

Benghazi Cathedral
Tripoli

Tripoli Cathedral
Cinema Impero
Fiat Tagliero Building
Marble Arch
Asmara's Opera
Lighthouse "Francesco Crispi" (Cape Guardafui)
Urbanism
Italian Tripoli
Mogadishu

Mogadishu under Italian rule
Italian Benghazi
Italian Asmara
Italian Massaua
Infrastructure
Mogadishu–Villabruzzi Railway
Ethio-Djibouti Railways
Eritrean Railway
Asmara-Massawa Cableway
Railway stations in Eritrea
Railway stations in Somalia
Via Balbia
Via della Vittoria
Linea dell'Impero
Italian
Libya

Libya Railways
Libyan Railway stations
History of Italian colonial railways
Political concepts
Greater Italy
Mare Nostrum
New Roman Empire
Spazio vitale
Fourth Shore
Third Rome
Police and military
Eritrean Ascari
Italian African Police
Bands (
Italian Army

Italian Army irregulars)
Zaptié
Dubats
Savari
Spahis
Royal Corps of Colonial Troops
Royal Corps of Somali Colonial Troops
Ascari del Cielo Paratroops
Italian 1st Eritrean Division
Italian 2nd Eritrean Division
1st Libyan Division Sibelle
2nd Libyan Division Pescatori
Italian Libyan Colonial Division
Italian Somali Divisions (101 and 102)
Maletti Group
Legione Redenta
Italian guerrilla units (A.O.I.)
Currencies and Stamps
Eritrean tallero
Italian East African lira
Italian Somaliland
.svg/250px-Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946).svg.png)
Italian Somaliland lira
Italian Somaliland
.svg/250px-Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946).svg.png)
Italian Somaliland rupia
Italian Somaliland
.svg/250px-Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946).svg.png)
Italian Somaliland somalo
Postage stamps and postal history of Italian East Africa
Postage stamps and postal history of Oltre Giuba
Postage stamps of Italian Libya
v
t
e
Italian Libya
Governors
Italo Balbo
Rodolfo Graziani
Italo Gariboldi
Ettore Bastico
Giovanni Messe
General History
Italo-Turkish War
History of
Libya

Libya as Italian colony
Italian Libya
Pacification of Libya
Western Desert Campaign
North African Campaign
Allied occupation of Libya
1945
Tripoli

Tripoli pogrom
Italian refugees from Libya
Provinces
Tripoli

Tripoli Province
Misurata Province
Benghazi

Benghazi Province
Derna Province
Military Territory of the South
Related articles
Italian settlers
Italian Tripolitania
Governors
Italian Cyrenaica
Governors
Italian Empire
Fascist imperialism
Italian North Africa
Italian
Libya

Libya Railways
Railway stations in Libya
Tripoli-Castel Benito Airport
Italian Benghazi
Via Balbia
Via della Vittoria
Arch of the Fileni
Tripoli

Tripoli Grand Prix
Tripoli

Tripoli International Fair
Linea dell'Impero
Postage stamps of Italian Libya
Frontier Wire (Libya)
Italo-Turkish War
Sciara Sciatt massacre
Muslim Association of the Lictor
Fort Capuzzo
Auto-Saharan Company
Fourth Shore
Colonial troops
Italian Libyan Colonial Division
1st Libyan Division "Sibelle"
2nd Libyan Division "Pescatori"
Maletti Group
Ascari del Cielo Paratroops
Italian Africa Police
Bands
Zaptié
Savari
Spahis
Regio Corp