On 29 September, the State Police in Avellino celebrated San Michele Arcangelo, the patron of the State Police, with a ceremony in the Duomo of Avellino. The celebration was attended by Questore Pasquale Picone and provincial authorities, according to the official Avellino Questura account.
During the observance, Picone described the camorra and people who commit crimes as "il volto del 'diavolo' in questa provincia" — "the face of the 'devil' in this province," as reported by IrpiniaNews.
Picone also said that confidence in law-enforcement agencies had increased and emphasized cooperation between police forces and the local community.
Drug dealing highlighted in the local report
According to the IrpiniaNews report, drug dealing was identified as a widespread phenomenon in Irpinia, with judicial authorities maintaining attention on it. The report does not provide quantitative data for that description.
That caution matters for readers: the available sources confirm that the issue was raised during coverage of the celebration, but they do not provide figures, arrests, or case details.
What the official Questura account adds
The official Questura account of the 29 September ceremony adds commemorative details not emphasized in the local press summary. It records the dedication of the Questura meeting room to First Director Antonio Ammaturo and the remembrance of officer Pasquale Paola.
For visitors and residents unfamiliar with the setting, two points help place the event. First, the Duomo of Avellino gave the police celebration a central civic and religious setting. Second, San Michele Arcangelo is identified by the Questura as the patron of the State Police, which explains why the 29 September date was chosen.
The sources do not establish whether Picone's remarks quoted above were part of a longer speech, nor do they independently verify the reported increase in public confidence in law enforcement.
