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As the racks are slowly moving behind him, Ciriaco Sarnelli peeks at me under the impeccable edge of his shell.
According to any standards, the Military Police Chief looks back, but the black uniform of the Carabinieri proudly.
“Our history goes back more than 200 years,” he says. “We remember our past and our place. The only people with black uniforms are the priests, the judges and the Carabinieri. ‘
He leaves the rest unsaid – the Carabinieri sits in the heart of Italian cultural life.
Ciriaco Sarnelli, head of the military police in Carabinieri
Pope latest: Safety trial before funeral
Once, they defended the boundaries of a young nation. Now they have a new challenge that has its own important burden – to keep St Peter’s Square safe at the funeral of Pope Francis.
This is no easy task. Hundreds of thousands will drop to the Vatican for the event.
Much of the world’s most famous politicians and dignitaries Will be welcomed in St Peter’s Basilica.
Inside are Donald Trump, Sir Keir Starmer, Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron, Prince William and dozens on dozens of other dignitaries.
Outside the Carabinieri will be.
They will not be alone – there are thousands of other police officers who need to be assigned to protect the event – but the Carabinieri is attached to the military; the most trained officers on duty.
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A member of the security personnel has an anti-drone rifle for the funeral of the pope
“It’s an extraordinary operation,” Sarnelli says, looking over the crowd. “So we have employed some special units that belong to Carabinieri – the bombing team, a dog unit, snipers and helicopters. We want to assure the people who show up here that they can participate in the best way in the best way.”
He says they are ready for “ordinary crimes” – like a bag in the crowd – but also “the biggest, terrifying events”.
He says there is ‘excellent coordination’ with police forces from other countries.
Around him, his officers smile and talk to tourists and Romans.
The security here is open, but friendly, even when I am told that many ordinary officers also mix in the crowd.
Guns and smile to see both.
A police helicopter circles above. In the port of Rome, a naval destruction was prepared for action; There are fighter jets ready to take off.
You can watch the full coverage of the funeral directly on Sky News on Saturday
Large crowds came from all over the world to see the pope’s body
If the impression is relaxed, reality is different. The classic swan.
All the wires are pulled from one place, and that is, what is more, a perfect view of the Vatican City.
From where I stand, I can see the front of St Peter’s Basilica, the side and the roads around it. I can see the crowds coming in, and the crowd goes out.
And I can see a anxious policeman drums his fingers.
But we are not in St Peter’s and not even in the Vatican.
This is the control room with a high security on the fifth floor of police headquarters.
And from here you can see everything.
The control room from which safety officials can see over the Italian capital
A variety of screens are in front of us and look at them, men and women, across the screens and all who wear contrasting uniforms.
Some are military, some national police, others wear the clothing of firefighters. A few are in ordinary clothes and there is even a man who carries the badge of the service of the prison officials.
This center is a pivot for collaboration and decision making, and it brings together every service involved in the safety and safety of the funeral.
There is a Carabinieri officer here, as well as the Guardia Di Finanza National Police and Roman power. The government’s secret intelligence service is also represented here.
Elisabetta Accardo is from Rome’s police department. We are talking against the Gentle Hubbub in the control room, colleagues pointing to screens and taking plans.
Elisabetta Accardo, Rome Police Control Room spokesman
I ask when Italy had to handle a security operation on this scale, and she laughs. “Hundreds of years,” she says.
“It’s unprecedented. The security level is at the maximum. ‘ She describes the plan as ‘structured three -dimensional security’.
Listen to the world every Wednesday with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim
Tap to follow
It is a plan that has been going on for a long time, but that has been reformed over the past few days to respond to the whims of the Pope’s final wishes.
After all, it has been more than a century since a pope was buried outside the Vatican walls.
You get the impression that the people who design the security plan could have done rather without adding an hour -long march through Rome.
But so be it.
By Saturday night this will be done. Rome can start to come back to normal; The foreign leaders will be on their way home.
And the police in Rome will just breathe a little easier.
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