Behind The Templar Agenda
The Vatican Police
The background on the Vatican Police is as accurate as I could make it. While the duties of the Swiss Guard are military and ceremonial, the role of the Vatican Police is wide ranging, including everything from traffic control to criminal investigation. Along with the Swiss Guard, the safety of the Pope is of prime importance. Though not included in the novel, it is worth pointing out that, unlike most chiefs of police, it is the personal responsibility of the inspector general to accompany the Pope for his personal security. In the case of this novel, it would be the role of people such as Mark to investigate criminal proceedings.
The way in which Mark, Alessandro and Gregore are used in this novel is, however, fictitious. While all members of the Vatican Police and the Swiss Guard are intensively trained in counter-terrorism, exactly how the Vatican Police investigate such levels of security threat is not widely known. All members of the Vatican Police must qualify for Italian citizenship and have at least two years experience in Italian police work.
