- Selected members of the NSW Public Order and Riot Squad will soon carry M4s
- The move is modeled on UK ‘armed response’ model that targets active shooters
- Less than 50 officers have so far received machine gun training & accreditation
- M4s are part of a wider restructure of the force by the NSW Police Commissioner
As a part of Sydney’s plan to ‘harden’ its response to terrorist violence, elite police officers will soon be carrying machine guns.
Selected members of the NSW Public Order and Riot Squad (PORS) are currently undergoing training and accreditation in the use of the M4 assault rifle.
The weapons have been purchased and all that remains is the ‘final sign-off’ from NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller, according to The Australian.
Selected members of the NSW Public Order and Riot Squad will soon carry M4 assault rifles
The M4 rifle is currently used by the Australian Federal Police that guard Parliament House
The M4, manufactured by weapons giant Colt, is reportedly the ‘weapon of choice’ of the US military.
They are lightweight with adjustable stock and a smaller design that has made them preferable to the M16.
The move is a possible precursor to rolling out assault rifles across the police force, which is deemed by some as ‘essential’ given the spate of terror attacks in Europe and America.
The same machine guns are currently used by the Australian Federal Police tasked with defending Parliament House.
By 2018, NSW PORS officers will patrol in groups of four in police vehicles as part of an ‘armed rapid response’ team.
There are currently 100 officers in the elite squad, but less than 50 have been trained in the use of the Colt M4 so far.
However, more training sessions are scheduled throughout the rest of the year.
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller took inspiration from the UK’s ‘armed repose’ model
The inspiration for the program was Britain’s ‘armed response’ model, which trains beat police officers to respond to an active shooter-style attack.
A spokesperson for the NSW police told The Australian that an official announcement on the roll out of long-arms to PORS will be made shortly.
The commencement date was slightly delayed while logistical problems, one of which was difficulties storing an M4 inside a police car.
The move is part of a wider restructure of the police force by Commissioner Fuller, who would like to see the PORS moved into a role that is more focused on counter-terrorism.