View source for Italian African Police

{{Short description|Police service of Italian African colonies}}
{{refimprove|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox law enforcement agency
| agencyname      = Italian African Police
| nativename      = {{lang|it|Polizia dell'Africa Italiana}}
| commonname      = 
| abbreviation    = 
| fictional       = 
| patch           = Fregio-PAI.svg
| patchcaption    = Emblem
| logo            = 
| logocaption     = Heraldic achievement
| badge           = 
| badgecaption    = 
| flag            = 
| flagcaption     = 
| imagesize       = 
| motto           = 
| mottotranslated = 
| formed          = {{start date|df=y|1936|06|01}}
| dissolved       = {{end date|df=y|1945|01|12}}
| country         = Italy
| legaljuris      = [[Italy]]/[[Italian East Africa]]/[[Italian Libya]]
| countryabbr     = 
| national        = yes
| local           = yes
| military        = yes
| paramilitary    = 
| provost         = 
| gendarmerie     = yes
| religious       = 
| speciality1     = 
| headquarters    = [[Rome]]
| sworntype       = 
| sworn           = 7,672 officers
| unsworntype     = 
| unsworn         = 
| multinational   = <!--NNN or {{collapsible list |title=NNN |[[country1]] . . |[[countryNNN]]}}-->
| electeetype     = 
| minister1name   = 
| minister1pfo    = 
<!-- (...up to 6...) -->
| chief1name      = General [[Riccardo Maraffa]], General [[Quirino Armellini]]
| chief1position  = Commandanti (Commandant)
<!-- (...up to 6...) -->
| parentagency    = [[Ministry of the Colonies (Italy)|Ministry of Italian Africa]]
| child1agency    = 
<!-- (...up to 6...) -->
| anniversary1    = 
| website         = 
}}

[[File:PAIcolonialiconbillao.jpg|thumb|140px|right|African members of the PAI (Polizia dell'Africa Italiana) in 1938]]

The '''Italian African Police''' ({{langx|it|Polizia dell'Africa Italiana}}, or PAI), was the [[Provost (military police)|provost]] and [[police]] force of [[Italian North Africa]] and [[Italian East Africa]] from 1 June 1936 to 1 December 1945.<ref>[http://www.collezioni-f.it/ascari/pol_afr.html Polizia Africa Italiana (in Italian)]</ref>

==Characteristics==

Towards the end of the war in Ethiopia (late 1936 and early 1937), Italy created a corps of ''Polizia Coloniale'' ("Colonial Police") for law enforcement in [[Italian North Africa]] (''Africa Settentrionale Italiana'', or ASI; [[Libya]]). The corps was created by reorganization of [[Polizia di Stato|public safety]] units operating in Libya. By March 1938, it was issuing license plates. The corps was later expanded to operate in [[Ethiopia]] and the rest of [[Italian East Africa]] (''Africa Orientale Italiana''; AOI).

In 1939, the corps was renamed ''Polizia dell'Africa Italiana'' ("Police of Italian Africa"; PAI). At this time, the corps was supplied with motor vehicles (including armored cars, light tanks, motorcycles, motor-tricycles, and automobiles). The PAI received about 1,000 vehicles and as many motorcycles.

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]]). Its first commander, from 1937 to 1943, was General [[Riccardo Maraffa]], replaced for a brief period in 1943 by General [[Quirino Armellini]].

The PAI had a reputation for discipline, high training standards, and being well-equipped. Even after the collapse of AOI, the PAI were able to keep the peace in [[Addis Ababa]], the capital of Ethiopia.

During [[World War II]], the Italian colonies in Africa were conquered by the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]]; PAI in the colonies were captured. Some PAI were stationed in Italy, for training and administrative functions.

In September 1943, Italy surrendered to the Allies, but German forces occupied northern and central Italy, and established a puppet government, the ''Repubblica Sociale Italiana'' ([[Italian Social Republic]]; RSI). The RSI then moved the remnant PAI to the city of [[Rome]], where they helped enforce RSI control and maintain public order.

On 4 June 1944, Rome was liberated by the Allies. The PAI was disbanded and its equipment was given to the regular State Police (''[[Polizia di Stato]]'').

==Origin==
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 police|political]], judicial and administrative police.

==Organization==
The force was a racially mixed organization, made up of Italian agents and many native [[askari]]s. It was located  in police headquarters of major cities like [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]], [[Benghazi]], [[Asmara]], [[Addis Ababa]], [[Mogadishu]], [[Gondar]], or in small commissariats otherwhere.

The PAI training school was in [[Tivoli, Italy|Tivoli]].

Part of the PAI personnel was mounted on [[Moto Guzzi]] motorcycles, with many armed with the [[Beretta Model 38|Beretta M1938A]] 9mm sub-machine gun.

==Strength==
At the outbreak of World War II the PAI had 7,672 men, of which 6,345 were in AOI (Eritrea, 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 5,146 indigenous personnel, 4,414 from AOI and 732 from ASI.

==World War II==
The PAI fought during World War II in the Italian colonies and in Italy.

===Africa===
During [[World War II]], the PAI fought as a combat unit alongside the [[Royal 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]] and was converted into a mixed company. Several units participated in war actions, at Tripoli, [[Benghazi]], [[Marj|Barce]], but the details regarding effective employment are insufficient.

===Defense of Italy===
After the [[Armistice of Cassibile]], the evening of 8 September 1943 the PAI participated to the defense of [[Rome]] engaging the first conflict with the Germans at [[Mezzocammino]], near [[Castelfusano]], with troops of [[Carabinieri]], in aid to a garrison of [[21st Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna"|Grenadiers of Sardinia]]. On the other side of [[Rome]], at the same time, some troops protected the escape of the [[King of Italy|King]] [[Victor Emmanuel III of Italy|Victor Emmanuel III]] along the [[Via Tiburtina]], the King and the [[Prime Minister of Italy|Prime Minister]] [[Pietro Badoglio]]; once accomplished the task, they were sent along the [[Via Laurentina]]. On 9 September the PAIRS, with the [[Bersaglieri]] and cadet police officers, forced for a while the Germans to  retreat from the [[Magliana]] area; however, after some hours, they had in turn to withdraw in direction of [[Via Ostiense|Fort Ostiense]], which was later stormed by the Germans.

The commander and founder of the PAI, General Marraffa, was captured by the [[Nazi]]s and deported to the [[Dachau concentration camp]], where he died.

===Salò Republic===
Later, there was a reorganization attempt in northern Italy, with the opening of a PAI school at [[Busto Arsizio]] in the autumn of 1943. However, the troops were absorbed by the [[Republican Police Corps]] of the [[Italian Social Republic]], and finally by the [[National Republican Guard (Italy)|National Republican Guard]].

==Ranks==
Ranks were as for the [[Royal Italian Army]] with enlisted rank being the older style larger pattern of red chevrons worn on both upper sleeves.

{|
|valign = top|
'''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
|width="50"|
|valign=top|      
'''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==
Personnel wore the standard Italian khaki tropical uniform but with a blue [[aiguillette]] 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.

==See also==
* [[Carabinieri]]
* [[Zaptie]]
* [[Dubats]]
* [[Law enforcement in Italy]]
* [[Polizia]]
* [[East African campaign (World War II)]]

==References==
* Crocaini, P. & Viotti, A. ''Le Uniformi dell'AOI (Somalia 1889-1941)''.
* Girlando, R. ''P.A.I. Polizia dell'Africa Italiana''.

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

{{Italian Military}}
{{Italian colonial empire}}
{{Italian Libya}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Defunct gendarmeries]]
[[Category:Italian East Africa]]
[[Category:Italian Libya]]
[[Category:Military history of Italy]]
[[Category:Defunct law enforcement agencies of Italy]]
[[Category:Defunct military provosts]]
[[Category:Italian colonisation in Africa|Police]]
[[Category:1936 establishments in the Italian Empire]]
[[Category:1941 disestablishments in the Italian Empire]]