The Italian Police has created the World’s first “On line Police Station” launched on 15 th of February 2006. It is a web site ( www.commissariatodips.it ), always at disposal of the citizen where he can:

1.      Find general information.

2.      Download forms.

3.      Make an On line complaint about a computer crime or theft and loss.

4.      Receive valuable advices.

5.      Interact with experts.

6.     Report to us conduct and events of illegal nature on the Net. 

As the Police station is the point of reference in case of difficulties, so  the On line Police Station was born to be a point of reference on the Web.

The Online Police Station comprises the following virtual rooms: Web & Computer Security, Immigration, Licences and Permits, Recruitment, Passports, Minors, and Complaints.

In each room, visitors can find detailed information on each topic, as well as downloadable forms to obtain licences, authorizations and documents.  

The most innovative service, however, is the Web & Computer Security area.  

Besides the above mentioned services, in this area citizens can lodge their complaints online or report information about computer crime to us.

Every online complaint lodged by a citizen is electronically sent to the Communications Police station chosen by the citizen himself/herself.

A dedicated network connects Communications Police stations to the Online Police Station. 

This service has lightened the workload of conventional police stations, and more officers could be assigned to other tasks.

The citizen goes to a conventional police station to finalize the complaint lodged online and gives  the online compliant reference number to the officer in charge. Once printed, the complaint is signed and the procedure completed. 

The On line Police Station is a new service offered to all the citizens.

 It realizes, for the first time in the world, a Police structure oriented to the web surfers speaking their own language.

It was born to be a point of reference on the web. 

In fact, as the metropolis’ streets are often considered, in the reality and in the imaginary collective source of traps for the citizen, in the same way the roads of the data transmission can hide dangers that worry the navigator of the Net.

To these citizens was intended to transmit a reassuring message. Infact  in this Office they can report a computer crime and interact with experts who can answer questions about Internet security.

 Now the citizen is in the middle of the Institutions.

In fact, the On line Police Station reaches him in his office, home and so on.

Therefore the citizen’s trust in the Institutions increased and now he can browse the Net safely.  

It offers a service easily reachable and easy to use by everybody also from people with handicap that would risk to be left apart.  That’s why it is written in a simple language even when are explained technical details.  

With the birth of the On Line Police Station, the first one in the World, we have: 

·        A new, efficient, useful and high quality service easily reachable and easy to use by everybody also from people with handicap that would risk to be left apart. It removes the citizen discomfort and reduces bureaucracy.

·        A permanent communication channel between the citizens and the Police

·        Less work for the Police Stations that have the chance to use their personnel to have more control and security  on the territory.

·        A safe point of reference for the citizens on the Net.

·        A Virtual Police Station entirely realized with the skill of the personnel of the Italian State Police. No funds were asked to the Italian Government.  

The results obtained from FEBRUARY 15 TH 2006 to DECEMBER 31st  2007     are: 1.000.000 visitors, 25.000 request for information, 20.000 reports about crimes on the Net and 11.000 On line complaints. 

This service has lightened the workload of conventional police stations, and more officers could be assigned to other tasks.

The citizen goes to a conventional police station to finalize the complaint lodged online and gives  the online compliant reference number to the officer in charge. Once printed, the complaint is signed and the procedure completed. 

Every online complaint lodged by a citizen is electronically sent to the Communications Police station chosen by the citizen himself/herself. A dedicated network connects Communications Police stations to the Online Police Station. 

The results obtained with the birth of the On Line Police Station can be summarized as follow:

 ·        Less work for the Police Stations that have the chance to use their personnel to have more control and security  on the territory. 

·        A new concept: the citizen in the middle of the Institutions. In fact, the On line Police Station reaches him in his office, home and so on. Therefore the citizen’s trust in the Institutions increased and now he can browse the Net safely.  

·        More trust in the Institutions, more crimes reported, ready knowledge of new crimes on the Net, more security of the citizen surfing the Net, full knowledge of the social phenomena that could become new kind of crimes ( bullysm etc.).  

These results have been obtained: 

 1.     By replying, in real time, to the citizen’s needs.  

2.     By making the use of the web site   (www.commissariatodips.it ) more easy. That’s why it is written in a simple language. 

3.     By being very helpful. 

4.     By trying to reach people of all sort of ages. 

5.     By giving a quick response to the citizen’s reports communicating what has been made in that matter. 

To advertise the birth of the On line Police Station several agreements have been made with the main web portals (Adnkronos, Virgilio, Kataweb, Libero, Tiscali, Diritto and diritti, Msn, Google, Yahoo) that created on their home pages a link bringing to the  On line Police Station web site.  

Therefore the main press agencies took part to the opening ceremony and personnel from the On line Police Station is present with a stand in the main fairs about net security and public communication.  

At last some agreements have been made even with the main consumers' and users' associations and with the ANCI (National Association of the Italian Municipalities) which have fully supported the new project advertising it and being open to every kind of collaboration with  the web site. 

 Recently, the Online Police Station in cooperation with eBay, launched a campaign named "Good sense in all senses" aimed at advising citizens about how to buy safely on the Internet.