In May 2010 the Italian National Police (Polizia di Stato) held a three-day celebration to mark it's 158th anniversary, attended by police delegations from across Europe. This year's theme was European Police Cooperation. Europe was represented as a puzzle in which the pieces are joining together. To quote the Head of External Relations of the Italian National Police: "Security cannot be thought of any longer as solely within the limits of national boundaries." The 50th anniversary of the first female recruits into the National Police was also celebrated. Two major locations in Rome hosted the celebrations; Piazza del Popolo, where the official ceremony took place, and the EUR lake, where families could enjoy a series of spectacular police themed exhibitions. At the Piazza del Popolo hundreds of officers, from all the different disciplines of the Italian National Police, took their places in a ceremony which epitomised the pride and honour they had in being Police Officers. As part of the official ceremony, there was a formal march-past the President of the Italian Republic. Each of the participating European police forces bore their national flags alongside Italian Police Officers. "The whole of the ceremony was broadcast live on Italian national television, such is the importance accorded to this Anniversary." Inspector Paul Hawkaluk
Although an invitation to take part in the celebrations is sent annually to the UK Police, this year was the first time the UK took an active part in the ceremony. UK policing was represented by Paul Hawkaluk, a West Yorkshire Police Inspector seconded to the National Policing Improvement Agency, International Academy Bramshill.
