NSW Police launch an armed response command to put heavily armed officers on Sydney's streets after the Bondi attack
NSW Police unveiled an Armed Response Command, the Herald, The Age, the ABC and SBS reported. It responds to the December 14, 2025 Bondi Beach attack, in which 15 people were shot dead at a Hanukkah celebration. In May Deputy Commissioner David Hudson told a royal commission that officers had faced long arms with 9 mm Glock pistols and that the force planned a command with semi-automatic rifles; an interim operation, Operation Shelter, was to continue until it was fully operational in 18 months to two years. The Herald and The Age reported an expansion of Jewish security groups' remit is still being considered.
It changes how police look on the street.
Expect visible armed officers near major events and sites.
Officers need weapons that match what they may face.
Visible long arms change a city's feel, and oversight must keep up.
Watch the rules on use and the oversight arrangements.
DailyDrop Australia edition No. 4 · Morning · THU., OCT. 8, 2026