Milan Police Chief Denounces Detained Officer as "A Criminal" After Rogoredo Killing

Italy's National Police Chief Vittorio Pisani has publicly branded a detained officer as "a criminal" following the unraveling of what prosecutors allege is a deadly cover-up inside Milan's Rogoredo drug zone, a scandal that reaches the highest levels of government and casts a harsh spotlight on the boundary between law enforcement and lawlessness.

Why This Matters

• Trust in policing: The chief of the Italy State Police is actively distancing the force from one of its own, arrested for murder and accused of planting evidence.

• Political fallout: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the emerging facts "a betrayal of the nation," while opposition leader Elly Schlein is demanding an overhaul of legal protections for officers.

• Ongoing investigation: Four additional officers face charges for allegedly covering up the shooting and delaying emergency aid to the dying victim.

What Happened at Rogoredo

On 26 January, Abderrahim Mansouri, a 28-year-old Moroccan national with a criminal record, was shot dead in the so-called "drug forest" of Rogoredo, a notorious open-air narcotics market on the southeastern edge of Milan. The officer who pulled the trigger, Carmelo Cinturrino, initially claimed self-defense: Mansouri had pointed a pistol at him during an operation, he said, forcing him to fire.

Within weeks, that account unraveled. Forensic analysis by the Italy Scientific Police and Milan Mobile Squad uncovered a cascade of inconsistencies. The weapon recovered beside Mansouri's body turned out to be a replica—a blank-firing Beretta 92 clone incapable of firing live rounds. More damning, DNA testing showed only Cinturrino's biological traces on the gun, none from the victim. Investigators concluded the replica was placed at the scene after Mansouri was shot, a detail Cinturrino himself allegedly admitted during a monitored conversation with his lawyer.

Ballistic reconstruction suggests Mansouri was unarmed and attempting to flee when the fatal round struck the side of his head. Emergency services were not called for more than 20 minutes, during which the victim lay bleeding on the ground.

The Rogue Officer Profile

Cinturrino, an assistant chief stationed at the Commissariat Mecenate in Milan, is described in court documents and witness statements as operating with systematic criminal intent. According to Milan Prosecutor's Office filings, he allegedly demanded up to €200 per day and 5 grams of cocaine from dealers working the Rogoredo area, offering protection to Italian-born traffickers in exchange. Mansouri, sources say, had grown afraid of Cinturrino and was planning to file a formal complaint about the extortion before he was killed.

The Milan Prosecutor's Office requested preventive detention citing flight risk—Cinturrino reportedly owns multiple properties—alongside the danger of evidence tampering and repeat offenses. His operational methods are described in court filings as exhibiting "alarming criminal potential."

Four fellow officers present during the incident are under investigation for aiding and abetting and failure to render assistance. Prosecutors allege they initially corroborated Cinturrino's false account and did not act to save Mansouri's life in time.

Political Shockwaves

The scandal erupted just as Milan prepared to host the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, with the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Rogoredo serving as a centerpiece venue. Political reaction was swift and unusually unified.

Prime Minister Meloni issued a statement on 23 February expressing "shock and anger," adding that if the investigative findings are confirmed, the officer's conduct amounts to "a betrayal of the nation." She emphasized that "no criminal shield" exists for those who dishonor the uniform and pledged full support for the judicial process.

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, often a staunch defender of law enforcement, softened his initial support and declared: "Those who make mistakes pay. Those who make mistakes in uniform pay even more."

Opposition leader Elly Schlein of the center-left called on the government to "reconsider the preventive immunity granted to security forces," arguing the Rogoredo case exposes structural flaws in accountability mechanisms.

What This Means for Residents and Expats

For people living in or moving to Italy, particularly Milan, this case underscores the dual reality of policing in high-crime neighborhoods. Rogoredo has long been synonymous with open drug trafficking, a zone both heavily policed and deeply lawless. The scandal raises immediate questions about oversight and accountability.

If you witness or experience misconduct by officers, Italian law permits complaints to be filed directly with the prosecutor's office (Pubblico Ministero) rather than relying solely on internal police channels. You can file a report in person at any carabinieri station or police headquarters in your district, or submit written documentation directly to your local prosecutor's office—contact information is available through your municipal administration office.

For Rogoredo specifically: The area remains a flashpoint despite hosting an Olympic venue. Residents and visitors should exercise heightened caution, particularly after dark. If possible, avoid the zone during early morning and late evening hours when police presence is lighter.

On police accountability: The government's handling of this case will influence broader debates on police reform, immunity provisions, and the scope of internal affairs investigations. As investigations proceed, expect increased police presence and temporary security sweeps in affected neighborhoods.

The Institutional Response

National Police Chief Vittorio Pisani, speaking to reporters, drew a clear line between Cinturrino and the force at large. "The healthy image is that of the investigative colleagues at the Milan Police Headquarters," he said. "We need to be a point of reference for our community, and citizens must have daily confidence in our work." He continued: "I believe that having demonstrated how the State Police arrested a former member of the State Police—indeed, I would call him a criminal—I believe this is the healthy image of our way of operating."

The phrasing—"ex appartenente," or former member—signals Cinturrino's formal separation from the force, even before conviction. This rhetorical distancing is unusual in Italian police culture, which typically shields officers under investigation until final verdicts.

Broader Context: Milan's Troubled Year

The Rogoredo killing is not an isolated incident. Earlier in 2025, seven officers from Milan's Volanti (patrol units) were investigated for fabricating public documents and unlawful searches, leading to internal transfers and reassignments. Separately, an investigation into corruption tied to the Milano-Cortina 2026 Foundation implicated former executives accused of accepting cash and a Smart car in exchange for awarding digital services contracts.

According to the anti-mafia association Libera, Italy recorded 96 corruption and extortion investigations involving public officials in the first eleven months of 2025, with Milan featuring prominently.

What Comes Next

Cinturrino's formal interrogation before a judge took place on 24 February. Prosecutors are seeking pretrial detention in a maximum-security facility. The four indicted officers remain on administrative duty pending the outcome of the favoreggiamento probe.

The case also places renewed scrutiny on the "Daspo Urbano" ordinances and security protocols governing Rogoredo, which have oscillated between aggressive enforcement and ad-hoc tolerance for years. With the Winter Olympics underway, Milan's municipal government and the Italy Ministry of Interior face mounting pressure to demonstrate that law enforcement operates within, not above, the rule of law.

For residents, expats, and investors watching Italy's largest city navigate scandal and spectacle simultaneously, the Rogoredo affair serves as a stark reminder: institutional credibility is earned incident by incident, and no badge guarantees immunity when the facts tell a different story.