The 6th Carabinieri Battalion "Toscana" () is a Battalion of the Carabinieri Mobile Units Division tasked with riot control and emergency services. The Battalion is garrisoned in Florence.

The Battalion is part of the 5th Carabinieri Regiment "Emilia-Romagna".

History The 6th Carabinieri Battalion "Toscana" tracks its origins back to the establishment of dedicated riot control units after World War I.

1920 - 1923 The Battalion was established on 2 May 1920 as the Mobile Carabinieri Battalion of Florence.

By force of the Royal Decree of 20 April 1920, no. 451, the Mobile Carabinieri Battalion of Florence was established among eighteen Autonomous Mobile Battalions.pp. 279–280

The Mobile Carabinieri Battalion of Florence was organized on: 3 Carabinieri on foot companies; 1 Cyclist Carabinieri Company; 1 Machine-guns Section (2 Sections for seven Mobile Battalions: Torino 1°, Milano 1°, Firenze, Roma 1°, Roma 2°, Roma 3°, Palermo).p. 24

The Florence Mobile Battalion was disbanded by royal decree on 30 December 1923.

1940 - 2001 On 10 December 1940, following Italy's entry into the war, the VI mobilised Carabinieri Battalion was formed and operated on the Greek-Albanian front until 8 September 1943.

In 1940 the new Army organization foresaw four Carabinieri Battalions, while on 3 January 1944 12 Battalions (renamed Mobile Battalions) were re-established,p. 232 in order to deal with the civil unrest following the end of the civil war, along with four Mobile Battalions Groups.

The 1944-established Mobile Battalions were equipped, supplied and maintained by the relevant Carabinieri Legion. The Mobile Battalions Groups were: The Florence Mobile Battalion was grouped under the 2nd Group, headquartered in Florence, and subordinated to the 2nd Carabinieri Division "Podgora".

The Mobile Battalions were provided of new vehicles in order to enable them to deploy rapidly.

On 6 September 1945 the Battalion was reconstituted with its original name and on 30 March 1963 it was placed under the control of the 2nd Carabinieri Regiment of Rome.

On 1 September 1977, placed under the 11th Carabinieri Brigade, with corps command functions, it assumed its current name of 6th Carabinieri Battalion "Toscana". On 21 December 1977, the Battalion received the War Flag, granted by presidential decree 7 October 1977 n. 861.

On 2 May 2000 the Battalion celebrated the 80th anniversary of its establishment on the occasion of which a commemorative postcard and a commemorative philatelic postmark were created.

2001 - present On 1 October 2007 the Battalion, following the assignment of an officer of the administration specialty, was reconfigured from a minor detachment to an ordinary detachment, consequently acquiring full administrative-financial autonomy.

In September 2012 the Battalion was transferred under the control of the newly established 5th Carabinieri Regiment "Emilia-Romagna".

List of commanders Rank Name Period Magg. Alfredo Grimaldi 1945 - 1945 Ten. Col. Lelio Palandri 1945 - 1954 Magg. Domenico Maneri 1954 - 1957 Magg. Mario Serchi 1957 - 1961 Magg. Agatino Gelsomino 1961 - 1964 Ten. Col. Sergio Valdora 1964 - 1968 Magg. Mario Maio 1968 - 1970 Ten. Col. Flavio Sermarini 1970 - 1973 Ten. Col. t.sg Ignazio Assumma 1973 - 1978 Ten. Col. Mario Scialdone 1978 - 1981 Ten. Col. Bruno Tibaldi 1981 - 1983 Ten. Col. Giuseppe Soldano 1983 - 1986 Ten. Col. Mario Guglielmi 1986 - 1989 Ten. Col. Mauro Picchiotti 1989 - 1992 Ten. Col. Nicola Raggetti 1992 - 1994 Ten. Col. Gaetano Guastafierro 1994 - 1997 Ten. Col. Rosario Calì 1997 - 1998 Ten. Col. Alessandro Gentili 1998 - 2000 Ten. Col. Mariano Angioni 2000 - 2002 Ten. Col. Mauro Isidori 2002 - 2004 Magg.Matteo Gagliardi2004 -2004 Ten. Col. Fabrizio Volpe 2004 - 2005 Ten. Col. Roberto Musillo 2005 - 2007 Ten. Col. Carlo Gerosa 2007 - 2010 Ten. Col. Giuseppe Petrella 2010 - 2012 Ten. Col.Ruben Ruggeri2012 - 2012 Ten. Col. Ciro Trentin 2012 - 2016 Ten. Col.Alessandro Parisi 2016 - 2019 Ten. Col. t.issmi Gabriele De Pascalis 2019 - 2021 Magg.Michele De Chiara2021 - 2021 Ten. Col.Nicola Erardo Maria Melidonis2021 - 2021 Ten. Col.Marco Centola2021 - 20 September 2023 Ten. Col.Domenico Pasquale Montemurro20 September 2023 - incumbent

Mission The 6th Carabinieri Battalion "Toscana" is mandated to carry out: the contribution to an integrated defense of the national territory; the participation in public order services during large demonstrations and events such as sporting events and concerts; surveillance of sensitive military sites and those of a civil nature determined, from time to time, by the public security authority; the preparation of assets to be used in expeditionary missions to carry out military police functions and support some logistical activities; the support of the territorial organization of the Carabinieri Legion "Toscana" (territorial organisation) to increase territorial control in large urban, extra-urban and rural areas in the most sensitive areas in terms of public safety as well as civil protection needs.

Organisational structure The 6th Carabinieri Battalion "Toscana" is part of the 5th Carabinieri Regiment "Emilia-Romagna". In turn, the 5th Carabinieri Regiment operates under the 1st Carabinieri Mobile Brigade, which coordinates the use of mobile regiments.

The organizational structure of the 6th Battalion is as follows: Command and Services Squad Administration Section 1st Operational Company Operational Intervention Company: support to territorial organisation Rescue Unit

Operational Intervention Company The Operational Intervention Company is the unit of the Battalion that has the task of promptly dealing with sudden situations of danger to public security. The Operational Intervention Company deploys both Operational Intervention Squads (Squadre di Intervento Operativo, S.I.O.) and Operational Support Squads (Squadre Operative di Supporto, S.O.S.).

The Operational Intervention Squads are tasked to perform extraordinary control measures (such as round-ups, manhunt, etc.) in support to territorial units of the Carabinieri.

The Operational Support Squads are also part of the Operational Intervention Company, with special tasks to prevent and promptly counter terrorist or other armed threats.

Rescue Unit In order to deal with emergencies in the event of public disasters, a special rescue unit is set up when necessary at the 6th Battalion, previously trained and equipped with means and materials that ensure the carrying out of civil protection and safety activities in disaster areas.

See also Antonio Baldissera Riot control

Notes and references