In a historic shift for Australian law enforcement, New South Wales police have deployed a new permanent special unit to patrol Sydney’s tourist hotspots, religious sites, and major public events—all equipped with military-grade rifles.
The launch of the Armed Response Command (ARC), which began operations on Sunday, marks the first time such heavily armed patrols have been a permanent fixture on Australian streets. The initiative was born out of the aftermath of the Bondi terror attack, where authorities admitted that responding officers were critically “outgunned” by perpetrators armed with rifles, leaving them with only standard-issue 9mm Glock pistols.
The unit, comprising 200 specially trained officers, aims to act as a deterrent to terrorism and provide an immediate, lethal-force response to active armed offenders. Det Supt Andrew Evans, commander of the unit, stated the force is built on the principle of “preserving life,” adding: “Operational readiness is about ensuring that if the community needs us on its worst day, we can perform at our best.”
The move has drawn strong support from segments of the Jewish community, who have faced increased security threats in recent years. Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, acknowledged the gravity of the shift, stating, “No Australian wants to see officers with military weapons on our streets, but the sight of body bags is far worse.”
However, the visibility of military hardware has sparked intense debate among civil liberties groups and security experts. Timothy Roberts, president of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties, warned that the state is witnessing an “American-style militarisation” of the police force. Roberts and other critics fear “mission creep,” where weapons meant for extreme terror scenarios may eventually be integrated into routine operations, including the policing of public protests.
While NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon previously suggested the unit would not be deployed at protests, the government has refused to enshrine these limitations into legislation. Police Minister Yasmin Catley emphasized that such tactical decisions remain the sole purview of police experts, refusing to rule out the unit’s presence at future demonstrations.
Concerns extend beyond civil rights to the philosophy of policing itself. John Battersby, a security expert at Massey University, pointed to the New Zealand experience following the 2019 Christchurch attack, where a trial of armed response units was ultimately abandoned due to public discomfort and a misalignment with the country’s expectations of community policing.
“We’ve got to respond to the risks that are emerging,” Battersby said. “But we have to be conscious that we may be bringing others. There’s a real risk if this isn’t managed with a huge amount of police discipline.”
As the ARC begins its patrols, the government faces mounting pressure to provide clear, legally binding regulations to govern exactly when and where these high-powered weapons will be deployed in the heart of the city.
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