Police with assault rifles begin Sydney patrols in wake of Bondi attack
SYDNEY: A new police unit armed with military assault rifles has begun patrolling the streets of Sydney, in an Australian-first measure set up in response to the Bondi Beach attack last December. The Armed Response Command will deploy at major events, crowded public spaces, sporting venues and places of worship to conduct “high visibility” patrols, New South Wales state police said. The move…
SYDNEY: Sydney's streets now bear the presence of a new police unit, the Armed Response Command (ARC), which has commenced patrols in response to the Bondi Beach attack last December. This Australian-first measure involves an Armed Response Command composed of 250 officers, each armed with military-grade assault rifles, costing an estimated A$94 million ($66.08 million).
The ARC will conduct "high visibility" patrols at major events, crowded public spaces, sporting venues, and places of worship, according to New South Wales state police. The unit's commander, Detective Superintendent Andrew Evans, stated that the tragic events at Bondi Beach, which resulted in the deaths of 15 people, highlighted the need for highly trained officers in the right places, ready to act when seconds matter.
Amnesty International Australia has expressed concerns about the increasing militarization of policing and the safeguards in place to protect human rights.
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