The Mayor Federico Basile and the General Director of the Municipality of Messina, Salvo Puccio, welcomed this afternoon, in the Hall of Flags of Palazzo Zanca, the first 100 eligible in a useful position in the final ranking of the public selection, based on qualifications and exams, for the coverage of 100 full-time and permanent positions with the professional profile of Local Police Officer – Instructors Area.
The meeting was called to provide all the communications relating to the operational procedures aimed at hiring them into service, illustrating the times, obligations and organizational methods that will accompany the entry of the new officers into the Municipal Police Force.
In a packed hall, General Director Puccio underlined the importance of the moment: “It is a meeting that we were particularly keen on, also to get to know each other personally. This competition represents a significant step for the Municipality of Messina and is part of a broader strategy for planning staff needs, made possible thanks to the financial and administrative planning of the Institution.
The entry of the new agents will allow us to consolidate the organizational structure and respond more effectively to the city’s needs.” The Director then added: “We are satisfied to have reached the conclusion of a process that required a significant commitment of economic resources and personnel.
The ranking will remain open for three years and the hiring of additional fixed-term agents is also envisaged. The preparatory formalities for hiring will now begin, including medical examinations. Presumably the entry into service will take place on April 1st. We wanted to share with you this last step before starting your career path within the organisation. The city of Messina really needs you.”
Mayor Basile continued: “You are the real news for the Municipality, together with the other 340 employees hired as part of the plan to strengthen the workforce: an extraordinary result for the administrative machine. Messina has not seen competitions of this magnitude since the 1990s. Since 2022 we have launched a structured hiring plan which today allows us to put 100 permanent units and additional fixed-term resources into service. When you take up service it will be an important milestone for you, but also a change of life. I hope that you can experience this transition with awareness and a sense of responsibility. You will have the opportunity to have a concrete impact on the city, representing a fundamental element for the future of the Municipal Police. Your role does not only concern traffic or traffic, but everything related to safety, prevention and protection of the community. The mayor concluded by reiterating that “investing in human resources means investing in the safety and quality of services provided to the community, and wishing good luck”.
The controversy
“A race to the last vote that also passes through one of the most precious goods: work”. Prima l’Italia councilor Amalia Centofanti points the finger at the Basile Council and stigmatizes Mayor Basile’s behavior towards the 100 aspiring traffic policemen, who were found to be suitable but not hired. “Is it the City Council that actually delayed Basile’s administrative action or is it the administration itself that was not able, through the staff and tools at its disposal, to carry it forward quickly as occurred with this selective procedure? Even if the hunt for consensus is officially open – concludes Centofanti – speculating on people’s needs is unacceptable”. The competition tests for hiring in the Municipal Police Corps were carried out between 2024 and 2025. According to councilor Centofanti, the anomaly concerns the ranking, published only in February 2026. In the dock, the bureaucracy and administrative delays and the strangeness of a summoning of the 100 suitable candidates by an outgoing and re-nominated mayor close to the elections.