Territory Response Group

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Territory Response Group
ActiveDecember 1978 – present[1]
CountryAustralia
AgencyNorthern Territory Police Force
TypePolice tactical unit
Role
Part ofTerritory Support Division[2]
HeadquartersDarwin
Structure
Officers31[3][4]

The Territory Response Group (TRG) is the police tactical group of the Northern Territory Police Force. The TRG is tasked to provide general and specialist support to other units of the Northern Territory Police.[5]

History[]

In December 1978, the Emergency Squad was established following the introduction of the Federal Government National Anti-Terrorism Plan which required each state and territory police to establish and maintain a police tactical group.[1][5] The Emergency Squad was subsequently renamed as the Task Force, which was later renamed as the Territory Response Section (TRS) and was then finally renamed as the Territory Response Group (TRG).[1]

In 1998, the TRG arrested fugitive bank robber Brenden Abbott and in 2012 arrested Jonathon Andrew Stenberg.[6][7][8]

In May 2011, the TRG received a Lenco BearCat armoured vehicle, known as the 'Armoured Rescue Vehicle', provided by the Federal Government for use in siege or terrorist situations.[9][10]

In 2015, the TRG upgraded its firearms introducing the Remington R5 RGP rifle and the SIG Sauer SIG716 designated marksman rifle.[11]

In 2016–17, the TRG "responded to or assisted with 131 general support tasks, 12 major events and 26 high-risk incidents".[12] General support tasks can include civil unrests in communities, outstanding offender operations, surveillance and assisting with search warrants.[13] In 2019–20, the TRG had over 30 search and rescue deployments.[2]

Role[]

The Territory Response Group is responsible for the following:[5][1]

  • Police Tactical Group: Provides a tactical response capability to deal with the containment and resolution of violent offences beyond the capability of general duties police.
  • Bomb Response Unit: Responds to civilian improvised explosive or incendiary devices incidents.[14]
  • Close Personal Protection: Responsible for the co-ordination of personal protection of witnesses or dignitaries within the Northern Territory.
  • Public disorder: Provides a response to demonstrations, including prison riots, and civil unrest in remote communities.
  • Search and rescue: Provide land based search co-ordination and manpower at short notice.[15]
  • Counter disaster operations: Provides survey and rescue teams to provide a framework for operations in the field in conjunction with other government departments.
  • Providing general frontline policing support.[2]

Volunteers for the TRG need to successfully complete an annual one-week selection course. In 2017, three of the seven candidates passed the selection course.[16]

The TRG trains the Immediate Response Team (IRT) based in Alice Springs to respond to critical incidents while awaiting the arrival of the TRG from Darwin.[17]

The TRG standard uniform is in A-TACS AU (Arid/Urban) camouflage with the TRG the only police tactical group in Australia to use this camouflage.[18][19]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d Aisthorpe, Judith (28 July 2019). "TRG look back over 40 year of operation". NT News. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Northern Terrority Police, Fire & Emergency Services Annual Report 2019-20 (PDF). Northern Terrority Police, Fire & Emergency Services. 2020. p. 36. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  3. ^ Australia. Parliament. Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (17 July 2003). Official Committee Hansard - Watching brief on the war on terrorism (PDF) (Report). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 September 2007.
  4. ^ Police source book 2 / edited by Bruce Swanton and Garry Hannigan ; assisted by Trish Psaila (PDF). Phillip, A.C.T: Australian Institute of Criminology. 1985. ISBN 0642078319. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "Territory Response Group". Northern Territory Police. Archived from the original on 14 January 2004.
  6. ^ Aisthorpe, Judith (24 August 2019). "Postcard Bandit was caught by TRG while washing clothes". NT News. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  7. ^ Moore, Tony (1 July 2012). "Suspected killer Stenberg heavily armed when nabbed in NT". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  8. ^ "Search for NSW Wanted Man". Facebook. Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services. 27 June 2012.
  9. ^ Hainke, Nadja (17 May 2011). "Afghanistan or Alawa?". NT News. Archived from the original on 29 August 2012.
  10. ^ "High-Tech Armoured Rescue Vehicle now part of the NT Police arsenal". Facebook (Press release). Northern Territory Police Force. 16 May 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  11. ^ "New guns, vests for NT police officers a response to higher 'threat level', Minister Peter Chandler says". ABC News. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  12. ^ Northern Terrority Police, Fire & Emergency Services Annual Report 2016–17 Annual Report (PDF). Northern Terrority Police, Fire & Emergency Services Annual Report. 2017. p. 37. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  13. ^ Northern Terrority Police, Fire & Emergency Services Annual Report 2014–15 Annual Report (PDF). Northern Terrority Police, Fire & Emergency Services Annual Report. 2015. p. 35. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  14. ^ Calacouras, Nick (5 February 2010). "Raid on property". NT News. Archived from the original on 22 February 2011.
  15. ^ 34th National Search and Rescue Council Meeting (PDF) (Report). National Search and Rescue Council. October 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 April 2011.
  16. ^ "TRG Selection Course" (PDF). The Drum: 31–34. April 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  17. ^ Hunt, Hayden (March 2018). "Policing 'family' rally around Territory Officer battling cancer" (PDF). Northern Territory Police News. Northern Territory Police Association: 19. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  18. ^ "Mitchell Street Mile". Facebook. Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services. 21 September 2014.
  19. ^ "A-TACS - Commercial camouflage patterns". Camopedia. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2019.

See also[]

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