Polizia Postale e delle Comunicazioni

Polizia Postale e delle Comunicazioni, also referred to as Postpolizei, is a specialised branch of the Italian State Police tasked with preventing and investigating crimes that involve postal services, telecommunications, and information technology. Its core mandate covers the protection of the national mail network, the security of telecommunications infrastructure, and the fight against cyber‑enabled offences such as online fraud, child sexual abuse material, and hacking attempts against government or private systems. The organisation carries out preventive patrols, investigative operations, and forensic examinations related to digital evidence and communication fraud. In the performance of its duties it works closely with prosecutors, judicial police, and other specialised units within the Polizia di Stato.

The Post Police is headquartered in Rome, Italy, and exercises its authority across the entire national territory. It maintains a presence distributed across the country to respond to incidents and conduct investigations wherever postal, telecom, or cyber crimes occur. Its operational reach includes monitoring of communications networks, oversight of postal service security, and the defence of public‑sector information portals against cyber threats. The March 2023 incident illustrates this role, as the unit successfully repelled attacks on several Italian government institution portals while the same campaign only affected the online presence of Rome’s public transport operator.

Distinguishing attributes of the Post Police include its dedicated cybercrime units that specialise in digital forensics, malware analysis, and the pursuit of offenders who exploit the internet for illicit purposes. The unit also possesses expertise in safeguarding telecommunications equipment from tampering or sabotage, a competence that sets it apart from general police forces. Its notable competencies extend to the protection of critical national infrastructure linked to postal and communications services, ensuring the continuity of essential services even during cyber incidents. These capabilities are reinforced by regular training, specialised equipment, and cooperation with international partners such as Europol and the European Cybercrime Centre.

Structurally, the Polizia Postale e delle Comunicazioni forms part of the Polizia di Stato and therefore reports to the Ministry of the Interior, following the same hierarchical chain as other state police specialties. It is not an independent agency but a specialised service within the broader Italian police organisation, benefitting from shared resources such as logistics, training academies, and information‑sharing platforms. This integration enables the Post Police to draw on nationwide police capabilities while retaining its focused expertise in communications‑related crime.