Sydney armed response unit begins patrols: 250 officers with assault rifles, an Australian first

A new police unit armed with military assault rifles has begun patrolling the streets of Sydney, Reuters reported on November 2. The Armed Response Command, set up by New South Wales state police, is the first unit of its kind in Australia, created in response to the Bondi Beach attack last December, when two men opened fire on a Jewish celebration at the famous beach, killing 15 people in what police described as an antisemitic attack motivated by Islamic State ideology.

250 officers, A$94 million, patrolling crowded places

The A$94 million (about US$66.08 million) unit comprises 250 police officers armed with Australian combat assault rifles, state police said. It will deploy at major events, crowded public spaces, sporting venues and places of worship to conduct high-visibility patrols, under its commander, Detective Superintendent Andrew Evans. The presence of heavily armed police officers on patrol is rare in Australia, which is part of why the move has drawn attention.

Rights group questions militarisation of policing

Amnesty International Australia said the introduction of heavily armed police patrols in Sydney raised serious questions about the increasing militarisation of policing and the safeguards in place to protect human rights. State police present the unit as a response to the Bondi attack, with a remit centred on security patrols at major events and crowded places. The reporting did not detail specific patrol routes or rosters.