Special Operations Group of the Tasmania Police
Encyclopedia
The Special Operations Group (SOG) is the Police Tactical Group
of the Australia
n Tasmania Police
. SOG is a highly trained group within the Tasmania Police Service, made up of current serving Tasmania Police members from varied sections and branches.
This also includes potential deployment in a national counter-terrorism
role in support of the National Anti Terrorist Plan (NATP). The Special Operations Group is deployed by the Assistant Commissioner (Crime & Operations). Negotiation is the primary tool for resolution, wherever possible, however the SOG provides high level containment skills and a National "best practice" resolution capability.
Since that time the Group has gone through a number of significant changes, primarily brought about by national trends that saw extreme violence and related threats used and/or targeted against members of Australian communities.
Since 1978, the Group has experienced several changes in name and training philosophies – from the Armed Offenders Squad to Special Weapons Squad and now Special Operations Group, a name which more accurately reflects the true nature of the Group's duties.
The Tasmanian Police SOG was involved in the infamous 1996 Port Arthur massacre helping to bring the event to conclusion by arresting the heavily armed gunman Martin Bryant
.
Police Tactical Group
Police tactical groups , formerly known as "police assault groups", are part of the Australian government's National Anti-Terrorism Plan which, since 1978, has required each state and territory police force to maintain a specialised counter-terrorist and hostage rescue unit jointly funded by the...
of the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Tasmania Police
Tasmania Police
Tasmania Police is the police force of the Australian state of Tasmania. Established in 1899, the force has over 1,200 officers policing Tasmania's population of about half a million people.-Structure:...
. SOG is a highly trained group within the Tasmania Police Service, made up of current serving Tasmania Police members from varied sections and branches.
Mission
The role of the Group is to offer, via specific tactical training, support to state-wide police operations where police or members of the Tasmanian public have been or are likely to be exposed to violence or other threats deemed to be of high risk .This also includes potential deployment in a national counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
role in support of the National Anti Terrorist Plan (NATP). The Special Operations Group is deployed by the Assistant Commissioner (Crime & Operations). Negotiation is the primary tool for resolution, wherever possible, however the SOG provides high level containment skills and a National "best practice" resolution capability.
History
The SOG commenced in 1978 with police officers undertaking basic tactical training.Since that time the Group has gone through a number of significant changes, primarily brought about by national trends that saw extreme violence and related threats used and/or targeted against members of Australian communities.
Since 1978, the Group has experienced several changes in name and training philosophies – from the Armed Offenders Squad to Special Weapons Squad and now Special Operations Group, a name which more accurately reflects the true nature of the Group's duties.
The Tasmanian Police SOG was involved in the infamous 1996 Port Arthur massacre helping to bring the event to conclusion by arresting the heavily armed gunman Martin Bryant
Martin Bryant
Martin Bryant is an Australian who has been convicted of murdering 35 people and injuring 21 others in the Port Arthur massacre, a shooting spree in Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia, in 1996. He is currently serving 35 life sentences plus 1,035 years without parole in the psychiatric wing of...
.
Principal roles
- Resolving siegeSiegeA siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
and hostage situations, as well as armed offender situations; - Counter-terrorismCounter-terrorismCounter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
and hijackingAircraft hijackingAircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
operationsMilitary operationMilitary operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
; - The escort and security of VIPsVIPSVIPS may stand for:* Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, a group of current and former officials of the United States Intelligence Community* Volunteers in Police Service, a volunteer program that provides volunteer assistance to local police...
, internationally protected persons, Heads of State; - Undertaking searches of premises in high risk situations;
- The arrest of armed and dangerous offenders;
- Escorting and securing dangerous prisoners in high risk situations;
See also
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Tasmania Tasmania PoliceTasmania PoliceTasmania Police is the police force of the Australian state of Tasmania. Established in 1899, the force has over 1,200 officers policing Tasmania's population of about half a million people.-Structure:...
Police Tactical GroupPolice Tactical GroupPolice tactical groups , formerly known as "police assault groups", are part of the Australian government's National Anti-Terrorism Plan which, since 1978, has required each state and territory police force to maintain a specialised counter-terrorist and hostage rescue unit jointly funded by the...
Australian Federal PoliceAustralian Federal PoliceThe Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
- Specialist Response and Security TeamSpecialist Response and SecurityThe Specialist Response and Security Team is the Special Operations and Police Tactical Group of the Australian Federal Police having responsibility for tactical and specialist operations within the Australian Capital Territory... -
New South Wales - Tactical Operations UnitState Protection GroupThe State Protection Group is part of the Specialist Operations division of the New South Wales Police Force, having been established in 1991 to deal with extraordinary policing responses. The SPG directly supports police in high-risk incidents such as sieges with specialised tactical,... -
Northern Territory - Territory Response GroupTerritory Response GroupThe Territory Response Group is the Police Tactical Group of the Northern Territory Police. Part of the Territory Response Section the TRG is tasked to provide general and specialist support to other units of the Northern Territory Police... -
Queensland - Special Emergency Response TeamSpecial Emergency Response Team (Queensland)Special Emergency Response Team is the Police Tactical Group of the Queensland Police, Australia. SERT is part of the Specialist Response Branch within the Operations Support Command which incorporates the Explosive Operations Response Team and the Negotiator Coordination Unit... -
South Australia - Special Tasks and Rescue GroupSpecial Tasks and RescueSpecial Tasks and Rescue is the Police Tactical Group of the South Australia Police.-History:Formed on 30 November 1978 the South Australian Police STAR Group was a rationalisation of specialist resources into one command/unit. Specialist units had existed prior to 1978 within SAPOL to deal with... - Tasmania - Special Operations Group
-
Victoria (Australia) - Special Operations GroupVictoria Police Special Operations GroupThe Special Operations Group is the police tactical group of the Victoria Police.-History:The Special Operations Group was formed in 1977. Its main function was to provide a response to politically motivated and criminal terrorist activity. Today, this remains the number one priority for the... -
Western Australia - Tactical Response Group -
New ZealandArmed Offenders SquadArmed Offenders SquadThe Armed Offenders Squad is a specialist unit of the New Zealand Police designed to "cordon, contain and appeal to" armed and dangerous offenders. As the name explains, they are called upon when conflict with an armed offender has occurred or is considered imminent.The AOS draw upon a varied...
(AOS), New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... - New ZealandSpecial Tactics GroupSpecial Tactics GroupThe Special Tactics Group , formerly known as the Anti-Terrorist Squad, is the full-time tactical and counter-terrorism group of the New Zealand Police....
(AOS), New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... - Tactical Assault Group
- National Anti Terrorism Exercise
- SWATSWATA SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
- Counter-terrorismCounter-terrorismCounter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...