The security I’d like to see. A letter from De Pascale

Security should not be approached ideologically, by either side of the political spectrum. It is a matter that requires governmental responsibility, the ability to analyse real-world phenomena and to adopt solutions based on data, experience and the evaluation of results. Communities do not need opposing slogans, but effective policies: more prevention where it is needed, more control where necessary, and more inclusion where possible. Governing security means starting from the evidence of the problems and concretely measuring the effectiveness of the responses. 

On this issue, for far too many years, Italian politics has been dominated by shortcuts. A section of the right has argued that harsher penalties and greater repression are all that is needed, often with discriminatory undertones. Conversely, a section of the left has frequently reacted with embarrassment, as if discussing security inevitably meant accepting a narrow-minded and illiberal view of society. Both positions have led to disaster.

Security must be a public policy based on evidence: on the ability to understand real problems, to analyse data, and to assess what works and what does not. It is time to move beyond this dichotomy and recognise that security requires both prevention and control, social inclusion and the fight against illegality, care for public spaces and the presence of institutions.

Because the call for safety coming from citizens is not something to be exploited. It is a plea to be able to live peacefully in their own city. It is the plea of a young woman walking home alone in the evening; of an elderly person who wants to catch a train without fear; of a shopkeeper who opens their shop every morning; of a legal immigrant who wishes to live in a well-ordered neighbourhood; of a family who choose to use public transport; of a commuter who passes through a railway station every day. Safety is one of the fundamental prerequisites of freedom.

If people are afraid, they stop using public spaces. When public spaces are left empty, they are taken over by those living on the fringes of the law. This is a mechanism that has been recognised for decades in cities all over the world. For this reason, the opposite of safety is not just crime. It is also neglect.

The safest cities are not necessarily those with the greatest presence of surveillance systems, but those that manage to keep their public spaces vibrant and well-frequented: lighting, shops, services, culture and the everyday presence of people are, in fact, essential elements of urban safety. The best form of security often comes from a community that lives in, uses and takes ownership of the city’s spaces.

This approach does not imply any underestimation of the role of law enforcement in combating crime. Criminals must, of course, be prosecuted, and it should be emphasised that the police perform a vital role that deserves adequate resources, tools and recognition. It would, however, be simplistic to believe that security can be achieved solely through law enforcement. Security originates first and foremost in the social and urban conditions that make a community more cohesive, more orderly and less vulnerable to decay and lawlessness.

Prevention is achieved when derelict buildings are restored, when public squares are once again lit up and bustling with people, when businesses reopen, and when social and health services are able to identify situations of vulnerability before they lead to exclusion and marginalisation. This is the moment when prevention meets the rule of law and social policies interact with public safety measures.

This initiative is not starting from scratch. Over the last twenty-five years, the Emilia-Romagna Region has provided tangible support for local policies on urban safety and prevention by funding over 650 projects promoted by local authorities, allocating a total of over 40 million euros. This commitment has enabled the testing of innovative models of collaboration, regeneration and community policing. Today, faced with the new challenges posed by social vulnerabilities and security in the most sensitive areas, the Emilia-Romagna Region is stepping up this type of investment even further, earmarking at least 20 million euros over the next two years to further strengthen integrated policies on urban security, the rule of law and social cohesion in the areas surrounding the main railway stations.

For this reason, integrated policies and strong institutional collaboration are essential. The state, regions, local authorities, prefectures, railway companies, public transport operators and the third sector all possess expertise and responsibilities that must work together towards a common goal. No single institutional body is capable of tackling complex problems on its own; these require coordinated and multi-faceted responses. Railway stations are the places where this need for collaboration is most evident. This realisation has been made all the more urgent by a recent tragic incident that has deeply affected our communities. The murder of train conductor Alessandro Ambrosio, which took place last January near Bologna station, should prompt us all to move beyond simplistic interpretations of the issue of safety: that incident demonstrated how railway stations today serve as a litmus test of the institutions’ ability to manage complex phenomena.

Railway stations are spaces where different forms of ownership, functions and areas of responsibility overlap, and where, all too often, the fragmentation of responsibilities has led to delays and stagnation. What is needed instead is a shared strategy capable of transforming them into safe, attractive places that are fully integrated into the urban fabric.

From this perspective, a major national plan dedicated to railway stations would be required, conceived not merely as an infrastructure programme, but as a project for urban and civic regeneration. Every station should be able to rely on adequate facilities, accessible services, vibrant economic activity, cultural spaces, modern lighting, smart technologies, a well-maintained appearance, cleanliness and a qualified staff presence. A station is not simply a transport hub: it is the gateway to the city and plays a decisive role in shaping perceptions of safety and the quality of urban life.

We must also overcome the often artificial dichotomy between social inclusion and security. Inclusion is not an alternative to security, but one of its most effective tools; at the same time, security is an essential prerequisite for inclusion. An individual left to live in squalor and marginalisation will find it more difficult to forge a path towards independence, just as a community cannot accept that social hardship should become a justification for lawlessness. Legality and inclusion must therefore go hand in hand, within a vision that combines responsibility and solidarity, firmness and sensitivity to vulnerability.

For these many reasons, the safety of railway stations and the most vulnerable urban areas should become a point of convergence between different political cultures, rather than yet another area of conflict. The challenges relating to the quality of public spaces, the fight against urban decay, the prevention of social vulnerability and the fight against crime affect all communities equally and require shared responses.

It is to be hoped that the State and its police forces, together with the regions and local authorities, will be able to forge a cross-party commitment based on institutional collaboration and the continuity of public policies. Because security does not belong to any one political party: it belongs to all citizens. The ability of institutions to work together to ensure safer, more inclusive and liveable cities is one of the essential conditions for strengthening trust in democracy and in institutions. And today, trust is arguably one of the most valuable forms of public infrastructure that the country needs.