| Operational Response Group | |
|---|---|
| Active | 2005–2012 |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Australian Federal Police |
| Type | Police tactical unit |
| Role | Counter-terrorism Law enforcement |
| Size | 200+ full-time Officers |
| Part of | International Deployment Group |
| Garrison/HQ | Canberra City ACT (HQ), Brisbane Queensland (FOB) |
| Nickname | ORG |
| Engagements | RAMSI, Black Saturday bushfires |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Commissioner Tony Negus |
The Operational Response Group (ORG) was a former police tactical group of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) part of the AFP's International Deployment Group (IDG) that was established in 2005 to support the AFP in variety of national and international special policing operations. [1] [2] In July 2012, the ORG was merged with the AFP's Specialist Response and Security team (SRS) to create the Specialist Response Group. [3]
In January 2005 Australian Federal Police created what was then known as the Operational Response Team (ORT), a unit of specialist tactical police able to respond and assist AFP officers engaged in overseas deployments as part of the International Deployment Groups response to the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands, Honiara. The ORT was soon expanded to fulfill further AFP domestic and international operations and included new roles (such as public order), and was renamed the Operational Response Group in 2006.
The Operational Response Group was AFP's permanent specialist tactical and stability and the policing capability able to rapidly respond to civil disorder and international crisis, both nationally and internationally within 24 hours. [4]
The Operational Response Group was defined as a police tactical group within the National Counter-Terrorism Committee arrangements providing the Commonwealth of Australia an offshore specialist and tactical policing response capability. [5] The unit provided similar capabilities to the AFP's Specialist Response and Security Team but focused on national and international deployments outside of the Australian Capital Territory, where the SRS had responsibility. The ORG was created to enhance the operational policing capabilities of the AFP's International Deployment Group (IDG) operating predominantly in the Pacific region.
The ORG consisted of a number of specialist sub-units including: [6]
The ORG provided the AFP with a specialist tactical policing capability which included the following roles, : [7] [8]
Overseas
Within Australia
On 1 July 2012 the ORG merged with the ACT based Specialist Response and Security to create a single federal tactical, public order and bomb response unit known as the Specialist Response Group (SRG). The merger was designed to reduce the duplication between AFP and ACT Policing specialist units and centralise AFP assets under one command in Canberra. The SRG became operational on 1 July 2012 and it now contains various capabilities including tactical teams, public order (riot team), bomb response, K9 and police negotiators. [22]
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