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Public Order and Riot Squad

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Public Order & Riot Squad
Public Order and Riot Squad vehicle
Public Order and Riot Squad vehicle
Active2006 - present[1]
CountryAustralia
AgencyNew South Wales Police Force
Role
Part ofCounter Terrorism and Special Tactics Command[2]
AbbreviationPORS
Structure
Sworn officers100
Commanders
Current
commander		Chief Superintendent David Johnson APM
Notables
Significant operation(s)

The Public Order & Riot Squad (PORS) is the full-time riot squad of the New South Wales Police Force. PORS reports via the Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Command to the Deputy Commissioner Investigations and Counter Terrorism.

History

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The Public Order and Riot Squad (PORS) is a full-time riot squad. The Squad was created within the Major Events and Incidents Group Command in October 2005. Becoming operational in January 2006 [3] PORS was created as a result of Parliamentary reports into the response and handling of riots in 2004 Redfern riots and 2005 Macquarie Fields riots where command and control and resources were criticized and found to be lacking/uncoordinated.[4] PORS is essentially the re-creation of the defunct Tactical Response Group of the 1980s except for some differences in charter and organisation.[5] They are supplemented by statewide part-time Operations Support Group units.

In 2009, the squad was featured in an episode of 60 Minutes titled "Brute Force" showing officers in action across Sydney.[6]

In 2017, 47 officers underwent specialist rifle training to become accredited to carry the M4 Carbine assault rifle.[7]

In 2020 and 2021, there were criticisms that officers from the unit were using excessive force while policing protests.[8]

Equipment

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Officers in riot gear

PORS are issued with a wide variety of specialised crowd control and riot equipment including Taser[9] weapons. Their units include fully equipped black vans and black 4WDs[10] to allow rapid deployment across the State at a moments notice. The vans allow a team in full tactical or riot gear to deploy on the move and access equipment as needed quickly, without need to return to a station to access gear as the part-time Public Order and Operations Support Group (OSG) officers do.

PORS had an Australian first, a $600,000 purpose built water cannon truck which was fitted with an airtight cabin to protect police from smoke, gas and other irritants.[11] The Riot Control Vehicle was equipped with shatterproof "anti-bandit glass" reinforced with wire mesh, and a heavy push bar allowing it to clear barricades and other obstacles. The high pressure 12,000 litre water cannon is able to shoot a stream of water more than 50 metres.[12][13] The water cannon having never been "used in anger" was stripped of its police equipment and gifted to Fire and Rescue NSW as a bulk water tanker in 2019.[14]

Each officer is equipped with more than $8500 in gear including flame retardant overalls, ballistic vests, ballistic goggles, arm and leg guards, capsicum spray, an ASP baton, long baton, utility knife, handcuffs cable tie flex-cuffs and rubber bullets. The equipment is stored in station and their patrol units.[15] In June 2017, it was announced that officers in the unit would be armed with semi-automatic rifles. As of 2017 officers are equipped with the M4 carbine.[7][16]

Roles

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A Public Order and Riot Squad rapid response vehicle.
A group of Public Order & Riot Squad Officers at a protest

The Public Order and Riot Squad specialise in:

  • riot control and response
  • search warrants[17]
  • searches for missing persons[18]
  • crowd control
  • IED search[19]
  • response to major chemical biological and radiological (CBR) incidents and
  • assisting general duties Police whenever a rapid co-ordinated response is needed at incidents such as brawls or street parties.[19]

PORS role includes attending major public protests and demonstrations, assisting with searches for evidence, people, property and drugs and canvassing witnesses during large-scale investigations. The unit also clears cells, transfers inmates and performs other security duties during industrial disputes at the State's prisons.[19]

PORS provide core officers for Operation Vikings. Operation Vikings was designed to provide a highly visible police presence across New South Wales. Large numbers of Police are deployed to these operations, targeting antisocial behaviour, alcohol-related crime, street level drug possession and traffic offences in known trouble (or "hot") spots.[20]

The PORS often deploy large numbers of vehicles and officers to A-League football matches held in New South Wales.[21]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Specialist Roles". New South Wales Police Force. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  2. ^ "NSW Police Force 2017-18 Annual Report" (PDF). Annual Report. NSW Police Force: 10. 31 October 2018. ISSN 1832-3472. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Minister for Police" (PDF). Budget Estimates 2006-07. The NSW Treasury. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  4. ^ "Public Disturbances at Macquarie Fields" (PDF). Parliament.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  5. ^ "Public Order Policing — Paying for the Mistakes of the Past". Archived from the original on 9 October 2006. Retrieved 31 January 2007.
  6. ^ "Brute Force". 60 Minutes. Nine MSN. 17 April 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  7. ^ a b NSW Police get Colt M4 - CONTACT magazine
  8. ^ "NSW Police Officer Criticises the Use of Excessive Force Against Protesters". 15 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Australian and World News - ninemsn, Nine News". news.ninemsn.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  10. ^ Bhatt, Neerav (7 January 2010). "NSW Police Public Order & Riot Squad car". Flickr. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  11. ^ "Water cannon will be used on rioters". News.com.au. 20 August 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  12. ^ Clennell, Andrew (21 August 2007). "Wet v wild: riot squad shows off its $700,000 weapon". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  13. ^ Jones, Gemma (17 June 2009). "Police water cannon hasn't fired a drop in anger". The Telegraph. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  14. ^ Cobar’s Station 256 debuts its new fire fighting weapon – The Cobar Weekly
  15. ^ Duff, Eamonn (3 August 2008). "Robo cop: brawlers beware". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  16. ^ "That's not a gun ... THIS is a gun". Dailytelegraph. 10 February 2017.
  17. ^ "Three houses raided in drug bust". The Daily Telegraph. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  18. ^ "Police search for missing La Perouse woman". The Daily Telegraph. 23 May 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  19. ^ a b c Kidman, John (13 November 2005). "Frontline anti-terror role for riot squad". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  20. ^ "Operation Vikings helps lower local crime rate". News. ABC. 6 July 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  21. ^ "Police warn fans to behave themselves at Wanderers v Mariners grand final". Hills News. 19 April 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
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