Key facts
- The Armed Response Command deployed at major events, crowded public spaces, sporting venues and places of worship across Sydney.
- NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley said the unit was funded with $94 million from the state government.
- ARC commander Andrew Evans said the unit's overriding purpose is preserving life.
- Counter-terrorism expert Julian Droogan said visibly arming police could shift attacks toward softer targets.
A new police unit armed with military assault rifles began patrolling Sydney on November 1, in an Australian first set up in response to the Bondi Beach attack in December 2025. The New South Wales state police said the Armed Response Command (ARC) would deploy at major events, crowded public spaces, sporting venues and places of worship to conduct high-visibility patrols.
Two men opened fire on a Jewish celebration at the beach in December, killing 15 people, according to the primary report; The Guardian reported 14 deaths. Police were outgunned at the event, deputy commissioner David Hudson told a royal commission into antisemitism in May, saying officers were armed with 9mm Glock pistols while the alleged shooters had rifles with greater range.
The unit will include 200 specialist trained officers, The Guardian reported, while Nine reported the unit will eventually consist of 250 full-time officers and 28 civilian support and intelligence staff. NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley said the unit was set up with $94 million in state government funding. "This is about backing our police with the capability they need to detect threats early and respond rapidly when the community needs them," she said in a statement.
ARC commander Detective Superintendent Andrew Evans said the unit was built on the principle of "preserving life". "Operational readiness is about ensuring that if the community needs us on its worst day, we can perform at our best," he said in a media statement.
The decision drew a mixed response. Julian Droogan, a counter-terrorism expert at Macquarie University, said visibly arming officers could push attacks toward softer targets and that policing alone cannot address terrorism's root causes. Some civil liberties groups warned of "mission creep" and "American-style militarisation", The Guardian reported.