A New South Wales police unit formed after the Bondi Beach massacre is to begin carrying long-arm rifles in public as it enters the next stage of its training.
The Armed Response Command was announced by NSW Premier Chris Minns in February, with $94 million allocated to establish the unit. It will patrol high-risk areas and attend places of worship and major events around the clock.
At full capacity, the command will comprise 250 dedicated officers and 28 civilian staff, supported by specialised vehicles and assault rifles.
Mr Minns said members of the public should expect to see officers carrying the rifles as the training programme progresses. He said the unit had been created in response to changing security challenges in the state.
“We hope these officers are never called on to respond to a major incident,” Mr Minns said. “But if one happens, NSW Police are ready.”
Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the unit’s presence was intended to deter potential offenders.
The command was established after an anti-Semitic attack in December in which 15 people were killed during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach.
It will assume patrol duties from Operation Shelter, which was launched in October 2023 following a rise in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents across New South Wales.
The operation’s latest figures recorded 815 incidents described as anti-Semitic or Islamophobic, along with other incidents that fell into neither category. More than 230 people were arrested.
However, the accuracy of those figures has been questioned after it emerged that nearly 370 anti-Semitic incidents had been incorrectly categorised dozens of times.
“The evidence is in … segments of our community feel unsafe, it’s usually because of their faith,” Mr Minns said in February.
