In brief
A newly formed unit of 250 officers, armed with Australian combat assault rifles and costing A$94 million, has begun patrolling major events and public spaces in Sydney as a response to the Bondi Beach attack. The move, first for Australia, has drawn criticism over militarisation. Reuters and other outlets confirm the initiation of patrols.
Police with a newly formed 250‑member unit armed with assault rifles have begun patrolling the streets of Sydney, the Australian police authorities said on Nov. 2, following the December 2025 Bondi Beach synagogue attack that killed 15 people.
The unit, known as the Armed Response Command, was built as a direct response to the antisemitic shooting that the NSW state police attributed to an ISIS‑influenced motive. The 250 officers are authorised to carry Australian combat assault rifles and are equipped with specialised training and high‑visibility gear.
Detective Superintendent Andrew Evans, commander of the new unit, said:
The tragic events at Bondi demonstrated the devastating consequences when an alleged armed offender attacks innocent people. ARC ensures we have highly trained officers in the right places, with the right equipment, ready to act when seconds matter.
The Armed Response Command will deploy at major events, crowded public spaces, sporting venues and places of worship, conducting what state police describe as "high‑visibility" patrols.
The unit cost A$94 million ($66.08 million), a significant investment in equipment, training and personnel, officials said, and it represents the first time heavily armed police have entered the streets of Australia.
Amnesty International Australia warned that the introduction of such a force had raised "serious questions about the increasing militarisation of policing and the safeguards in place to protect human rights," the human‑rights group said.
BBC News and Teletext.ie both reported that heavily‑armed officers had begun patrolling the Sydney streets as a heightened security measure after the Bondi shooting, while 7News reported that the new branch of police carrying rifles began patrols on Sunday.
