Today the funeral of Alessandro Rietti, an officer serving in the SPE Special Unit of the Rome Capital Local Police, was held
Abstract: The long and troubling trail of suicides among uniformed personnel continues unabated; this time it concerns a forty-year-old officer of the Rome Capital Local Police. The man took his own life on Friday, 27 February, using his service weapon in his home shortly after completing his shift, which had passed without any particularly significant incident. The funeral took place today in an atmosphere of profound grief among family members, colleagues, and institutional representatives. The episode raises important questions about the psychological condition of officers engaged in urban security duties and about the need to strengthen prevention measures and support systems within public institutions.
Keywords: #SuicidesInUniform #LocalPoliceSuicide #LocalPolice #Rome #RomeCapitalPolice #PoliceStress #PoliceSuicides #MentalHealth #PsychologicalDistress #LawEnforcement #WorkStress #PsychologicalWellbeing #Prevention #Support #MassimilianoMancini #EthicaSocietas #EthicaSocietasJournal #ScientificJournal #HumanSciences #SocialSciences #EthicaSocietasUPLI #ItalianLocalPoliceUnion
A grief that affects the entire professional community
The death of Alessandro Rietti, an officer of the Rome Capital Local Police, has generated profound sorrow among colleagues, friends, and institutional representatives. The forty-year-old officer took his own life in his home shortly after finishing his shift on Friday, 27 February, using his service weapon.
The funeral took place today in an atmosphere of strong emotional participation from both the professional and institutional community. The loss of the officer has left many colleagues who had known him for years deeply shocked.
According to those who worked with him, Rietti lived alone and always appeared to be a calm, helpful, and highly professional person. It is precisely this apparent normality that makes the tragedy even more difficult to understand and accept.
Colleagues remember him as someone consistently serene, available, and professionally reliable—qualities that make his loss even more painful.
Alessandro Rietti served in the Special Unit SPE – Emergency Public Security of the Rome Capital Local Police, a department engaged in particularly delicate operational activities within the field of urban security.
Urban security in large cities involves a wide range of responsibilities: territorial control, emergency management, accident response, prevention activities, and support to other law enforcement agencies. This operational context entails a significant emotional and psychological burden that is often underestimated by public opinion.
Security professions and the burden of operational stress
Local Police officers, like other security forces, perform an essential function for the life of urban communities. However, their work involves constant exposure to situations of conflict, emergency, and responsibility.
Scientific literature in occupational psychology highlights how security professions are particularly exposed to phenomena such as chronic operational stress, burnout, and emotional fatigue.
Irregular work shifts, immediate decision-making responsibilities, and daily contact with traumatic situations can deeply affect the psychological balance of officers.
These conditions often develop gradually and silently, making it difficult to recognize signs of distress in time.
One of the most complex aspects concerns the cultural dimension of police organizations. Professional training legitimately emphasizes values such as resilience, emotional control, and the ability to deal with critical situations.
However, this same culture can sometimes make it difficult to express vulnerability or ask for help.
Many officers prefer to face situations of stress or personal difficulties alone, fearing that requesting support might be interpreted as a sign of weakness.
As a result, psychological distress often remains hidden until it takes dramatic forms.
Suicides among Italian law enforcement personnel: a persistent phenomenon
According to analyses conducted by several observatories monitoring well-being within security forces, Italy records on average between 40 and 60 suicides per year among members of law enforcement agencies.
Over the last fifteen years, the estimated total number exceeds 500 cases.
The institutions most affected include:
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State Police (Polizia di Stato)
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Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri)
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Penitentiary Police (Polizia Penitenziaria)
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Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza)
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Local and Provincial Police forces
Available data indicate that:
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the Penitentiary Police shows one of the highest suicide rates
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the State Police records significant numbers associated with operational stress
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the phenomenon is also present in local police forces, although data are less systematic.
Indicative distribution
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State Police → approximately 30–35% of cases
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Carabinieri → approximately 30–35%
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Penitentiary Police → approximately 20–25%
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Guardia di Finanza → approximately 5–10%
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Local and Provincial Police → approximately 5–10%
Several studies highlight that suicide among security personnel may occur more frequently than in the general population due to specific risk factors.
Among these:
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constant exposure to traumatic events
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direct access to firearms
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irregular work schedules
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high operational responsibility
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difficulties in balancing work and personal life.
Comparative analysis: the phenomenon in European police forces
The problem is not limited to Italy. Comparative studies conducted in several European countries show similar trends.
Research carried out in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom indicates that suicide rates among police officers may be 20% to 40% higher than the national average.
In France, for example, the Ministry of the Interior has recorded between 50 and 60 suicides per year among members of the Police Nationale and the Gendarmerie.
In the United Kingdom, academic studies have identified a significant correlation between:
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operational stress
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exposure to traumatic events
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post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
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suicidal ideation.
These findings have led several European countries to implement specific prevention programs, including:
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permanent psychological support services for personnel
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peer support programs
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monitoring of officers’ psychological well-being.
Towards a culture of prevention
The suicide of a security officer represents a deep wound for the entire institutional community.
Addressing the issue of mental health in security professions seriously requires public policies capable of integrating prevention, psychological support, and an organizational culture oriented toward listening and care.
Only through greater awareness will it be possible to reduce the risk that silence and loneliness continue to turn into tragedies.
The safety of cities also depends on caring for those who work every day to protect them.
In recent years, several trade unions and professional associations have highlighted the need to strengthen prevention tools addressing psychological distress within police forces.
Among the most frequently proposed measures are:
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permanent psychological support services for personnel
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confidential listening and counseling desks for officers
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specific training to recognize signs of distress among colleagues
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organizational measures aimed at reducing work-related stress
Protecting the psychological health of officers is not merely a matter of internal welfare; it is an essential condition for ensuring the quality and effectiveness of the security services provided to citizens.
BIBLIOGRAFIA ESSENZIALE:
Cocozza, A., & De Angelis, M. (2019). Stress lavoro-correlato nelle forze di polizia. Roma: FrancoAngeli.
Garbarino, S., Cuomo, G., Chiorri, C., & Magnavita, N. (2013). Association of work-related stress with mental health problems in police officers. Occupational Medicine, 63(2), 110-115.
Magnavita, N. (2018). Work-related stress in law enforcement personnel: A review. Journal of Occupational Health, 60(4), 325-338.
Ministero dell’Interno. (2022). Relazione sul benessere organizzativo nelle forze di polizia. Roma.
Osservatorio suicidi forze dell’ordine. (2023). Rapporto annuale sul fenomeno dei suicidi tra operatori della sicurezza in Italia.
Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità. (2014). Preventing suicide: A global imperative. Geneva: WHO.
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