Special Tasks and Rescue
Encyclopedia
Special Tasks and Rescue (STAR Group) is the Police Tactical Group
of the South Australia Police
.
As in other states, SAPOL decided that it would be more practical and expedient to combine all the skills of various tactical/special units in one unit and to have specialist personnel on duty or available on call, at all times to deal with emergencies.
Further restructuring in 1994 saw STAR Group expand its role to include Water Police and the coordination of Negotiators. Certain incidents automatically trigger a STAR Group response such as a high speed chase of offenders known or likely to be armed.
The unit consists of highly trained personnel skilled in the use of firearms, counter-terrorist tactics, crowd control, crime prevention techniques, underwater recovery, water policing, Close Personal Protection and search and rescue operations. Thus there is available at all times a mobile patrol force to assist other line units in emergencies of any kind, and to act as a support force in crime control operations.
In 2011 STAR Group took delivery of a Lenco BearCat
armoured vehicle available for use in siege or terrorist situations. The Bearcat replaces a previous Tenix Defence S600
armoured rescue vehicle used by the Group. In 2006 STAR Group response to over 335 search and rescue incidents and 126 tactical/high-risk operations across the State .
Each member is required to develop and maintain skills in weapons handling, high risk policing, counter terrorist standard operating procedures, VIP protection, search and rescue operations, civil disorder techniques and many other functions peculiar to S.T.A.R. Operations. Select individuals within S.T.A.R. Operations develop specialist skills in one key area allowing the provision of helicopter aircrew, marksmen/observers, VIP drivers, Search and Rescue Coordination and bomb technicians.
S.T.A.R. Operations members travel extensively performing their duties state-wide, nationally and internationally. During any given week, a S.T.A.R. member may be required to manage a Search and Rescue Operation in the far north of South Australia, assist with the extradition of an accused person from interstate or accompany immigration staff as far a field as India or Europe to enact deportation orders. Members also participate in many national and international training programs frequently travelling interstate to attend multi-discipline training courses. Other members have undertaken training courses in Britain and the United States.
The Dog Operations Unit plays an important role in assisting to keep the community safe in South Australia. The natural instincts and abilities of a dog to follow a track or locate a hidden/lost person or object cannot be replicated by modern technology.
The Dog Operations Unit is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
All water responses (sea search and rescue, water policing, diving, and Marine Crime Watch) are conducted by this Unit.
The size gives the mounted officer a greater field of view than the foot or mobile officer while, at the same time, providing a more obvious police presence. Generally, they have access to the same areas as other officers and can operate in areas impractical or inaccessible to officers in vehicles or on foot.
Imposing as they are, the non-aggressive presence of the horse enables mounted officers to safely and quickly defuse violent or antisocial situations, quite often without the hostility usually directed at other officers in similar circumstances. The mere presence of a police horse attracts immediate attention and provides an excellent medium for police and public interaction, particularly with those who would normally avoid police contact. When properly deployed, the mounted officer is an effective and modern police resource.
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 South Australia Police
South Australia Police
The South Australia Police is the police force of the Australian state of South Australia. It is an agency of the Government of South Australia within the South Australian Department of Justice.-History:...
.
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 emergency situations such as sieges and armed offenders situations. The unit has previously been known as the Special Tasks & Rescue Force. While STAR Group officers rarely have to fire their weapon, there have been some incidents in which STAR group officers have fired upon an armed suspect and killed their target as per operation guidelines.As in other states, SAPOL decided that it would be more practical and expedient to combine all the skills of various tactical/special units in one unit and to have specialist personnel on duty or available on call, at all times to deal with emergencies.
Further restructuring in 1994 saw STAR Group expand its role to include Water Police and the coordination of Negotiators. Certain incidents automatically trigger a STAR Group response such as a high speed chase of offenders known or likely to be armed.
Mission
STAR Group is designed to handle problems and situations which require more concentrated attention than can normally be provided by the General Patrol Police and/or which call for tactics and/or equipment which cannot be used by patrol members in uniform http://www.police.sa.gov.au/sapol/about_us/structure/operations_support_service/special_tasks_rescue_group.jsp?text_only=true.The unit consists of highly trained personnel skilled in the use of firearms, counter-terrorist tactics, crowd control, crime prevention techniques, underwater recovery, water policing, Close Personal Protection and search and rescue operations. Thus there is available at all times a mobile patrol force to assist other line units in emergencies of any kind, and to act as a support force in crime control operations.
In 2011 STAR Group took delivery of a Lenco BearCat
Lenco BearCat
The Lenco BearCat is a wheeled armored personnel carrier in use with numerous military and law enforcement agencies.-History:Since 1981 the Massachusetts based Lenco Industries, known as Lenco Armoured Vehicles has designed and manufactured armored vehicles for Law Enforcement, Military, Government...
armoured vehicle available for use in siege or terrorist situations. The Bearcat replaces a previous Tenix Defence S600
Shorland S600
-Production history:The S600 is an APC developed in 1995 as a private venture by Short Brothers plc in Northern Ireland. Unlike the previous Shorland armoured car series which were based on the Land Rover Defender, Shorts used the much larger chassis and drive-train of the Mercedes-Benz Unimog...
armoured rescue vehicle used by the Group. In 2006 STAR Group response to over 335 search and rescue incidents and 126 tactical/high-risk operations across the State .
Principal roles
- Search and rescue
- Helicopter operations
- The arrest of armed and dangerous offenders
- Provide close-quarter protection and related security measures as necessary.
- VIP Security
- Patrol deployment as a crime prevention
- Resolving siege and hostage situations, as well as armed offender situations;
- Riot/crowd control
Structure
STAR Group is a branch of the SAPOL Operations Support Service, and comprises several sections:- Operations Section
- The Operations Section is responsible for a myriad of tasks including high risk policing, counter terrorist response, search and rescue operations and the supplementation of general duty patrols.
Each member is required to develop and maintain skills in weapons handling, high risk policing, counter terrorist standard operating procedures, VIP protection, search and rescue operations, civil disorder techniques and many other functions peculiar to S.T.A.R. Operations. Select individuals within S.T.A.R. Operations develop specialist skills in one key area allowing the provision of helicopter aircrew, marksmen/observers, VIP drivers, Search and Rescue Coordination and bomb technicians.
S.T.A.R. Operations members travel extensively performing their duties state-wide, nationally and internationally. During any given week, a S.T.A.R. member may be required to manage a Search and Rescue Operation in the far north of South Australia, assist with the extradition of an accused person from interstate or accompany immigration staff as far a field as India or Europe to enact deportation orders. Members also participate in many national and international training programs frequently travelling interstate to attend multi-discipline training courses. Other members have undertaken training courses in Britain and the United States.
- Dog Operations Unit
- The South Australian Dog Operations Unit provides support to operational police through the deployment of highly trained dog teams. Each team comprises a trained dog, being either a German Shepherd or Labrador retriever dog and handler. These dog teams are based in metropolitan Adelaide but are able to respond to calls for assistance throughout the State. Police dog teams are trained to carry out duties involving tracking, searching, criminal apprehension, drug detection and explosive detection.
The Dog Operations Unit plays an important role in assisting to keep the community safe in South Australia. The natural instincts and abilities of a dog to follow a track or locate a hidden/lost person or object cannot be replicated by modern technology.
The Dog Operations Unit is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Water Operations Unit
- Water Operations Unit is responsible for policing the costal and inland waters of South Australia and provides the capability for search and rescue in those waters. The unit was officially formed in September 1995 with the merger of the Underwater Recovery Section and Water Police. There are five vessels varying from a five metre inflatable dinghy to a 16 metre Launch. The vessels are also used as diving platforms for police divers. The divers assist local police in the recovery of bodies or submerged objects from the sea, inland waters and caves.
All water responses (sea search and rescue, water policing, diving, and Marine Crime Watch) are conducted by this Unit.
- Mounted Operations Unit
- The South Australia Mounted Police is an integral part of today's policing strategies, unique in its contribution to the maintenance of law and order. Apart from the highly visible roles of escort duties and mounted patrols, there are many ways the Mounted Operations Unit contributes to the safety of the people.
The size gives the mounted officer a greater field of view than the foot or mobile officer while, at the same time, providing a more obvious police presence. Generally, they have access to the same areas as other officers and can operate in areas impractical or inaccessible to officers in vehicles or on foot.
Imposing as they are, the non-aggressive presence of the horse enables mounted officers to safely and quickly defuse violent or antisocial situations, quite often without the hostility usually directed at other officers in similar circumstances. The mere presence of a police horse attracts immediate attention and provides an excellent medium for police and public interaction, particularly with those who would normally avoid police contact. When properly deployed, the mounted officer is an effective and modern police resource.
- Negotiator Coordinator Section
- The Negotiator Coordination Section provides support to operational police by deployment of trained negotiators throughout the State. Under the National Guidelines, negotiationNegotiationNegotiation is a dialogue between two or more people or parties, intended to reach an understanding, resolve point of difference, or gain advantage in outcome of dialogue, to produce an agreement upon courses of action, to bargain for individual or collective advantage, to craft outcomes to satisfy...
is considered the first option to achieve a peaceful resolution in high-risk incidents and negotiators respond to all types of incidents where their expertise may be of assistance.
- Explosive Coordination Section
- The Explosive Coordination Section is the bomb squad of South Australia Police. Responsibilities of this section include the disposal of improvised explosive devices (IED) and other explosive materialUnexploded ordnanceUnexploded ordnance are explosive weapons that did not explode when they were employed and still pose a risk of detonation, potentially many decades after they were used or discarded.While "UXO" is widely and informally used, munitions and explosives of...
, clearing explosives scenes before post-blast examination, conducting high risk searches for bombs, explosives, booby traps etc and coordinating responses for military ordnance.
- Training and Development Section
See also
- Tactical Assault Group
- SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics)SWATA 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...
- List of Special Response Units
- National Anti Terrorism Exercise
- 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...