Sydney police deploy rifle unit

Detective Superintendent Andrew Evans announced the start of a new police operation in Sydney, deploying a specialized unit equipped with military-grade weapons. This Armed Response Command is the first of its kind in Australia, where heavily armed officers are typically uncommon on the streets.

The initiative follows a series of events that began last December. At that time, two men opened fire on a Jewish celebration at Bondi Beach. The shooting killed 15 people and was identified as an antisemitic attack motivated by Islamic State ideology. State police attributed the creation of the new unit directly to the aftermath of that incident.

New South Wales state police confirmed that the unit will conduct high visibility patrols. Officers are scheduled to deploy at major events, sporting venues, places of worship, and other crowded public spaces. The force stated the goal is to place trained personnel in specific locations to allow for rapid action.

The Armed Response Command consists of 250 police officers. They are armed with Australian combat assault rifles. The total cost of the unit is A$94 million, which is equivalent to $66.08 million. The currency conversion used for this figure was $1 to 1.4225 Australian dollars.

Evans described the Bondi events as a demonstration of the devastating consequences of an armed offender attacking innocent people. He stated that the unit ensures officers have the right equipment to act when seconds matter. Amnesty International Australia raised concerns about the measure. The group said the patrols raised serious questions about the militarisation of policing and the safeguards protecting human rights.