My Choice to Join the Force, to Make a Social Impact
"And to think I didn't even want to study law. Everyone told me that there were already too many lawyers... Reading the Bocconi website, I discovered that the degree actually prepares you for lots of different professions and I started my adventure in Milan." Originally from the Abruzzo region, Gloria Verzella thus began on a clear path that quickly led her to graduate with honors, pass the bar exam, qualify as Police Commissioner and be chosen for the Judiciary. Then, starting in May of this year – before her 30th birthday – she has been the new Director of the General Prevention and Public Aid Office of the Chieti Police Force.
"After graduation, I realized that being a lawyer was not for me. Working at legal firms with corporate lawyers, I was afraid of remaining a legal technician and not participating in the process of upholding laws in the social context. Instead, I wanted to do something that had an impact on reality: along these lines there was no better destination than the State Police. At the beginning, however, my decision was more an instinct than a conscious choice, because it was not a familiar environment. On the other hand, I realized how inspiring police work is and how Italian legislation’s richness and subtlety can be enhanced, even though they are so often seen as a deterrent. During the months I spent in direct collaboration with the Police Chief, I saw first-hand how public security authorities apply the rules to ensure that everyone can express their freedoms. The principle engraved in the police motto is sub lege libertas: meaning that freedom and security are not antithetical concepts, but in continuous dialogue. For me, this means contributing to social progress and building a better world, and it also gives meaning to my entire course of study."
The unit that Gloria directs is responsible for patrol officers, the operations room and the complaints office. This assignment keeps her in close contact with the territory and with the people, which can be both physically demanding and leave her emotionally exposed to the drama of events. All this is difficult to reconcile with the private sphere. "This career objectively has a major impact on your personal life. But it’s not necessarily always like that. Different periods of life can correspond to different activities, and the police has so many facets that you can be useful in many ways. Of course, Director of the Prevention Office is not just any role, it requires working in the office, long hours, and does not allow for many distractions. Anyone working with us must accept that working on the force is unique. Indeed, they must see it as an added value, not as a limitation."
But there is another sensitive issue that Commissioner Verzella knows very well, as she is a woman leading mostly men. “Some colleagues who have been in service for a long time may find it difficult to accept my role, but everything can be solved by collaborating and focusing on the team spirit that connects anyone working on the force like in a family. It is also up to myself and other women not to be afraid to affirm our value in the face of those who may struggle to recognize it. While the majority of patrol officers are men, the ratios are reversed among management. The work done over the past two decades to attract women to careers in law enforcement – and more generally to management or leadership positions – is paying off. Likewise, the great thing about being in a public authority, is that other types of equality are established in addition to numerical equality. This includes a fair salary, which unfortunately should not be taken for granted."
