New armed police unit unveiled after Bondi terror attack

In short:

Long-arms carrying NSW Police officers will take to the streets of Sydney ahead of the formation of the Armed Response Command.

The unit, sparked by the Bondi Beach terror attack, is beginning public training and its officers are expected to be seen around Sydney in the coming weeks.

What's next?

The unit will take over patrols from Operation Shelter, which was set up in 2023 to respond to an increase in antisemitic and Islamaphobic incidents.

The NSW Police's specialist Armed Response Command (ARC) will begin taking to the streets of Sydney, 10 months after the Bondi Beach terror attack that sparked its formation.

The ARC's highly-trained armed officers are moving to a phase of public training after months of work behind closed doors at dedicated training facilities.

Officers with long-armed rifles are expected to be seen around city in the coming days ahead of the rapid response unit's formal start date, when 250 officers will be tasked around the clock.

The unit is expected to take over the high-visibility patrols of Operation Shelter, which was ramped up after 15 people were killed during a Jewish holiday celebration at Bondi Beach in December.

'NSW Police are ready'

The NSW government invested $94 million to form the unit as part of a response to the terror attack, which has gone toward rifles, training and specially-built vehicles for the ARC.

After the Islamic State-inspired attack, senior members of the NSW Police travelled to the UK and Germany as part of preparations for the ARC.

"Keeping the people of New South Wales safe is our number one priority. That means making sure our police have the people, training and equipment they need to respond to serious threats," NSW Premier Chris Minns said.

"We hope these officers are never called on to respond to a major incident. But if one happens, NSW Police are ready.

"People will start seeing these officers and their vehicles around Sydney as training gets underway. This is about being prepared for the worst and making sure we can keep the community safe."

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the new unit would be a deterrent to anyone inciting hatred.

"ARC will not only provide a policing rapid response, but it will also be a deterrent for those who wish to commit harm, incite hatred or cause fear.

"No matter where you are located across Sydney, we want all communities to feel reassured that police can be anywhere, at anytime, to keep people safe.

"The environment in NSW has changed, so the way we police the community has changed and what the community expect from us, has changed."

The unit was part of sweeping reforms promised by the state government in the days after the Bondi Beach terror attack.

The federal government, similarly, proposed legislative changes that culminated in laws prohibiting hate groups.

The ARC will take over from Operation Shelter, which formed in 2023 to respond to an increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents and has been responsible for patrols in the wake of the December 2025 tragedy.