The Minns Labor Government today announces that the new Armed Response Command (ARC) has commenced operations, delivering a permanent, highly trained policing capability to rapidly respond to serious threats and help keep our communities safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ARC officially becomes operational today (Sunday 1 November 2026), following months of intensive recruitment, specialist training and a final week of operational readiness exercises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Backed by a $94.3 million investment, ARC was established following the devastating terrorist attack at Bondi last December, which reinforced the need for a permanent and dedicated capability to identify and respond to serious threats and incidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ARC will provide a high-visibility, intelligence-led specialist command with rifle capability, rapid response vehicles and highly trained officers to respond to high-risk incidents and identified threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From today, the community can expect to see ARC officers deployed across Sydney, conducting high-visibility patrols at priority locations, major events, crowded public spaces, sporting venues and places of worship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Officers will travel in purpose-built vehicles fitted with secure firearm storage and carry specialist equipment, including locally made Australian Combat Assault Rifles (ACARs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the centre of the new Command is the dedicated ARC Operations Centre, a 24\/7 intelligence room supporting officers on the ground with real-time information, threat assessments and deployment coordination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ARC will initially operate alongside Operation Shelter, which was established in October 2023 in response to heightened community tensions, including a rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As ARC assumes greater operational responsibility, Operation Shelter will gradually scale down while maintaining a coordinated and visible police presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At full strength, ARC will comprise 250 police officers and 28 civilian intelligence analysts and support staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Officers have undergone intensive, specialist training over the past six months ahead of today\u2019s official launch. Training has included rifle proficiency, active armed offender response, advanced driver training and tactical medical care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The establishment of ARC forms part of the Minns Labor Government’s broader work to strengthen community safety and social cohesion across NSW.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other major reforms by the NSW Government to improve public safety and protect the community include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, Yasmin Catley said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFrom today, NSW has a permanent, highly trained Armed Response Command ready to respond to serious threats, around the clock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is about backing our police with the capability they need to detect threats early and respond rapidly when the community needs them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese officers have undergone intensive specialist training and are equipped with purpose-built vehicles, specialist equipment and the support of a 24 hour live operations centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNSW Police are better equipped than ever to keep the people of NSW safe and this Government will continue backing them with the resources they need to do their job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n ARC Commander, Detective Superintendent Andrew Evans said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cToday marks a significant milestone for policing in NSW. After months of planning, recruitment and intensive training, the Armed Response Command will now deliver a permanent capability designed to prevent serious threats and respond quickly when lives are at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe ARC Operations Centre is a dedicated nerve centre bringing together intelligence, technology and frontline policing to help us identify emerging threats and rapidly deploy our officers where they are needed most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI want to reassure the community that this command has been built from the ground up with one overriding purpose – preserving life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe tragic events at Bondi demonstrated the devastating consequences when an alleged armed offender attacks innocent people. Since that time, we have looked at international best practice and strengthened our capabilities to prevent another tragedy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cARC ensures we have highly trained officers in the right places, with the right equipment, ready to act when seconds matter.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Minns Labor Government today announces that the new Armed Response Command (ARC) has commenced operations, delivering a permanent, highly trained policing capability to rapidly respond to serious threats and help keep our communities safe. ARC officially becomes operational today (Sunday 1 November 2026), following months of intensive recruitment, specialist training and a final week … Continue reading “Armed Response Command operational from today”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nswnews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41365"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41365\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41366,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41365\/revisions\/41366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}