History Operations Support Group

1 history

1.1 1995 bondi beach riots
1.2 2004 redfern riots
1.3 2005 macquarie fields riots
1.4 2005 cronulla riots
1.5 apec australia 2007

history

in 1981 nsw police force created tactical response group (trg) primary tasks included riot control/response, high risk search warrants, searches missing person, crowd control , bomb search. trg s tactical duties shared between specialist unit of time known special weapons , operations section(swos) both units fulfilling role of being state s official swat team. during bathurst riots 1985, trg showed mettle against overwhelming odds, however, more public order specific police desperately needed. in 1991 both trg , swos made defunct , replaced tactical operations unit (tou) primary role specialist counter-terrorist , hostage-rescue functions. removal of dedicated riot control/response left shortfall in nsw police ability respond/deal public order incidents.

as such, small contingent of officers trained in crowd control, known patrol support group (psg) formed in various districts. name change patrol support group operations support group. osg formed in central metropolitan region in 1990s, limited in both numbers , resources. new unit, osg s capabilities unclear police commanders themselves, , worked in limited numbers in sydney cbd @ peaceful rallies , protests.

with 2006 creation of public order , riot squad, osg units had title officially changed public order operations support groups (poosg). these days, osg refers individual officer, whereas poosg refers units whole.

1995 bondi beach riots

the riots began on christmas evening. after sunset, bondi beach grew cold , estimated 20,000 backpackers informal beach party left beach , milled blocking queen elizabeth drive. @ 9.30 p.m. aggressive groups of male youths arrived in cars , contested space. violence erupted estimated 1,000 people fighting , throwing missiles. police attempted move , disperse crowd crowd turned hostile on police, trashing police cars, obstructing traffic , throwing bottles. several people injured, police, , serious damage caused 6 police vehicles. no arrests made due extreme congestion of people , danger confronting police , bystanders.

on new year’s eve, “car enthusiasts”–middle eastern males southwestern sydney–came without cars. fearful bus drivers carried aggressive , abusive young males across city bondi. 11.30 p.m. crowd estimated @ 15,000 , growing, peaking 2.00 @ 20,000. there bashings (groups provoking , attacking single males) , stabbings in park.

again, crowd turned on police , bondi park became running battle 80 general duties police, highway patrol , 2 police dogs fighting 20,000-strong crowd unaided 5 hours. during course of evening, twelve people arrested 20 charges being laid, concerning ‘affray’ , ‘riotous behaviour’. police arrested 3 people after serious assaults – 1 juvenile charged ‘malicious wounding’ , 2 adults charged ‘assault weapon’ (stabbing). 3 convicted , sentenced.

the bondi riots wake-up call nsw community, prompting local member peter debnam (vaucluse) condemn[s] minister police failure address serious policing issues @ bondi (19 sept. 1996). few psg , limited osg officers not able deploy beach front until 6 new year s day, after event, due cbd violence engaged with.

2004 redfern riots

see article: 2004 redfern riots

from point recruitment , strength of osg promoted , bolstered. not known public yet , still used sporadically, not until 2 years of riots back osg brought forefront of state s public order response. 2004 redfern riots took place on evening of saturday, 14 february 2004 in inner sydney suburb of redfern, sparked death of thomas t.j. hickey, 17-year-old indigenous australian. fliers distributed blaming police death, , discontented aboriginal youths gathered across sydney. police closed eveleigh street entrance redfern railway station, crowd had turned violent , began throw bottles, bricks , molotov cocktails , use fireworks missiles. violence escalated full-scale riot around block, during station briefly alight, suffering superficial damage. riot continued morning, until police used fire brigade water hoses disperse crowd. 1 car, stolen in western suburb, torched, , 40 police officers injured. many osg deployed complained [as officially outranked] general duties police commanders had halted movement , tactics , had osg standing static, akin sitting ducks, whilst offenders roamed , rearmed rocks , molotov fire bombs. 1 osg officer hit directly in head full brick , helmet surely have perished. osg units insisted on not own tactical advisors (ta s) being on ground them on having high ranking osg commanders in field them, enabling autonomous deployment.

2005 macquarie fields riots

in february 2005, macquarie fields, located in southwestern sydney, wracked violence through outbreak of suburban riot prompted death of 2 young men during police pursuit. during engagement available osg central , south western region mobilised. on 4 days , nights in full riot gear, contained government housing estates , made numerous arrests serious offences including assault, riot , affray. state s police command osg had proven worth. before year on over 4 december 2005, group of volunteer surf lifesavers assaulted group of young men of middle eastern appearance, several other violent assaults occurring on next week. triggered cronulla riots, lasted 48 hours middle eastern reprisal attacks across cronulla , maroubra suburbs same evening. again osg brought fray , of gd, hwp, mounted , dog squad, able restore order city within 72 hours.

the value of osg officers cemented , new south wales police force public order , riot squad (pors) created full-time riot squad on january 2006. @ time of creation pors commanders , officers taken solely osg ranks. formation of pors has created full-time avenue osg personnel beyond on-call osg response. tactics , training of osg , pors identical , pors commander, chief superintendent steve cullen, head of osg.

2005 cronulla riots

see article: 2005 cronulla riots

the 2005 cronulla riots series of sectarian clashes , mob violence in australia, originating in sydney suburb of cronulla, new south wales, , spreading, on next few nights, additional suburbs.

on 4 december 2005, group of volunteer surf lifesavers assaulted group of young men of middle eastern appearance, several other violent assaults occurring on next week. these incidents commented on in sydney media , considered key factor in racially motivated confrontation following weekend. racial tensions prevalent among 2 racial groups due sydney gang rapes of 2000, among other social incidents, contributed scale of escalation, though later review new south wales police found initial incident no more significant, of itself, other fights between 2 racial groups.

a crowd gathered on morning of sunday, 11 december 2005 and, midday, approximately 5,000 people gathered @ cronulla beach protest against recent spate of violence against locals. however, fuelled alcohol, crowd turned violence when young man of middle eastern appearance spotted on beach. surrounded crowd outside local hotel , attacked, along similar attacks later day. retaliatory riots took place night , on subsequent nights, resulting in extensive property damage , several more assaults, including 1 stabbing , attacks against ambulance , police officers.

apec australia 2007

apec australia 2007 series of political meetings held around australia between 21 member economies of asia-pacific economic cooperation during 2007. event culminated in leaders week, heads of government of each member economy attended sydney 2–9 september 2007. sydney cbd enclosed in steel-and-concrete fence line. 550 osg , 50 pors (the state s full contingent) deployed daily secure leaders. on 6 september 2007, tv show entitled chaser s war on gained access through outer perimeter using full false canadian flagged motorcade , false apec passes. comedian show halted charade near intercontinental hotel. @ time, hotel housed heads of state , had pors, osg , secret service personnel in, on , around building. comedian, wearing full bin laden mock outfit, exited 1 of vehicles arrested state police. stunt seen not in poor taste dangerous comedian s crew , hired drivers had little idea of , state police orders regarding perceived-threat response. on 8 september 2007, largest of apec protest rallies held 10,000 attending. osg again formed bulk of policing response along parent unit, pors. unseen protester began throwing steel darts @ unprotected heads of osg, 1 dart hitting osg chief inspector in head. rescue squad officer climbed roof of police bus , spotted offender. description noted , osg sergeant , 3 osg officers pursued him through crowd. upon seeing police, offender struck osg constable in forehead solid iron bar had covered 1 sheet of newspaper disguise. offender struck osg sergeant bar before being taken ground , arrested.

later same day, protesters sealed in northern end of hyde park police. standoff ensued between crowd , police. @ 1 point 20 protesters covered faces simultaneously, after seeing overwhelming resources of pors , osg, removed coverings , left cbd without incident.

since date, osg have been deployed in numerous public order , enforcement roles. both south west metropolitan region , central metropolitan region osg utilised on daily basis. along pors sent week-in week-out state s hot spots of crime , confront many violent elements including omcg, middle eastern , southeast-asian organised crime members. since 2009, south west metropolitan region enforcement squad has had full-time osg unit. other metropolitan regions follow suit.