Security in Sassari’s historic centre is once again in the spotlight, with new calls for a more consistent law enforcement presence in the streets and squares of the old town.
Residents and business operators continue to report a perception of insecurity, especially in certain areas and during the evening hours, calling for more frequent checks and patrols capable of ensuring greater peace of mind for those who live, work in or visit the neighbourhood.
The problem is linked to a broader issue: bringing people, businesses and services back to a historic centre that has been facing difficulties for years, including urban decay, depopulation and the gradual loss of local shops.
Checks already stepped up in recent months
On the ground, however, law enforcement activity has been significant.
In July, the Sassari Police Headquarters ordered a special operation involving the State Police, Carabinieri, Guardia di Finanza and local police. The operation focused in particular on Piazza Mazzotti, Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via La Marmora, with around 250 people identified and approximately 50 vehicles checked.
A few weeks earlier, another joint operation had also covered the railway station, Porta Sant’Antonio, Piazza Tola, Via San Donato and other areas of the centre.
The local police also has a dedicated post in the neighbourhood: the municipal report for 2025 indicated 12 officers working across three shifts and around 15,500 interventions in total supporting the public, covering urban security, upkeep and other activities.
The August anti-drug operations
The issue of security was also brought back into focus following recent investigations into drug trafficking.
On 26 August, the Carabinieri carried out 16 precautionary measures as part of an investigation launched in 2023 into a drug-dealing operation rooted in the historic centre. A further 45 people received notice of the conclusion of the preliminary investigations.
Three days later, on 29 August, another six people were arrested following a series of searches, during which cocaine, heroin, marijuana and hashish were seized.
The operations testify to a significant investigative presence, but at the same time help explain why the issue remains particularly important to those who live in the neighbourhood.
Security and the revival of the historic centre
The regeneration of the old town, however, cannot rely solely on checks.
Lighting, video surveillance, the redevelopment of public spaces, new businesses and cultural initiatives are considered parts of the same process. The Municipality has repeatedly identified the strengthening of local community police posts and the presence of the local police, with particular attention to San Donato, as an objective.
A recent example of the regeneration strategy is the redevelopment of Piazza San Donato, transformed to create new pedestrian areas, green spaces and meeting places in the heart of the neighbourhood.
The problem is also economic. The gradual disappearance of local businesses can contribute to making some streets less frequented, as analysed in our feature on the crisis facing local shops in Sardinia’s historic centres.
The challenge: making the centre lively again
The call for increased checks therefore remains one element of the debate, but security and urban regeneration necessarily go hand in hand.
On the one hand, prevention, a presence on the ground and the ability to intervene in situations involving illegal activity are needed. On the other, the revival depends on bringing residents, families, shopkeepers and visitors back to the historic centre.
The challenge for Sassari will be to ensure that extraordinary interventions become part of an ongoing strategy, capable not only of tackling existing problems but also of restoring the confidence of those who experience the old town every day.