Wikipedia

Victoria Police Special Operations Group

The Special Operations Group (SOG) is the police tactical group of the Victoria Police. The SOG was Australia's first full time and dedicated police tactical group when it formed in 1977.[2][3]

Special Operations Group
Active1977–present
Country Australia
AgencyVictoria Police
TypePolice tactical group
RoleCounter-terrorism
Law enforcement
Part ofSecurity Services Division
HeadquartersMelbourne
MottoBlessed are the peacemakers (from Matthew 5:9)[1]
Common nameSons of God[1]
Soggies
AbbreviationSOG
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Doug O'Loughlin
Neil O'Loughlin
Robert O'Loughlin
Notables
Significant operation(s)Port Arthur massacre
Melbourne gangland killings

History

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The SOG was formed in secrecy on 31 October 1977 by Chief Commissioner Mick Miller to establish a group to conduct special operations in regard to counter terrorism that would be directed towards preventative/protective security and combatting operations. Terrorism meaning politically motivated criminal activity as well as other forms of criminal activity which terrorise innocent persons.[4] The first the public was aware of the existence of the SOG was by an article in The Age newspaper in 1980.[5]

In 1992, the Nine Network screened a television documentary on the SOG selection course, that included long runs, interspersed with scoffing warm beer and meat pies until the volunteers threw up, to demonstrate how drinking any alcohol while on call, would impair functioning.[1] In 1995, following a review of the SOG as part of Project Beacon, safety-first tactics were introduced along with less-than-lethal equipment with the philosophy that use of force is the last resort.[6][7][8][9] In 1996, the SOG became the first Police Tactical Group to deploy interstate, with ten officers urgently sent to Tasmania via charter plane to assist the part-time Tasmania Police Special Operations Group to respond to the Port Arthur massacre.[2][10][11][12]

In 2003, the Bomb Response Unit (BRU) was established with dedicated officers within the SOG which had since inception provided a bomb search and disposal capability to Victoria Police.[13] In 2004, the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) was formed to respond to high risk non-firearms incidents to reduce the SOG workload.[9] Such as a call out in September 1998 when the SOG disarmed a sword-wielding mentally ill man in a two-hour stand off in front of a 2000-strong crowd near Flinders Street station.[14] Earlier in 1995 during the SOG Review, there had been a proposal for two SOG teams consisting of four officers each to patrol Melbourne similar to CIRT.[15]

In 2011, the SOG responded to 4 sieges, conducted 10 forced building entries, conducted 54 high-risk arrests and mobile intercepts, and 36 cordon-and-call operations.[1]

The SOG has two nicknames Soggies and the Sons of God, the latter a backronym made from the initials SOG.[2][1] The unofficial SOG emblem is telescopic crosshairs superimposed over a balaclava-clad head on an outline of Australia.[2][16]

Notable incidents include the fatal shooting of Wayne Joannou in February 2005 in South Melbourne, Mohamed Chaouk in April 2005 in Brooklyn, Norman Leung Lee in July 1992 at Melbourne Airport, the manhunt for Melbourne Assessment Prison escapees in March 1993 near Jamieson, resolving a siege at a law firm in Mitcham in June 1996 with tear gas, and a siege in Kangaroo Flat in October 1999 in which four uniform officers had been wounded.[17][18][19] Recents incidents include the Brighton siege in June 2017 and the fatal shooting of Stanley Turvey in Ardmona in September 2023.[20][21] The SOG was responsible for the security of the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Role

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The SOG provides Victoria Police with a counter terrorist and high risk arrest response capability.[22] The SOG roles include, but are not limited to:

  • Armed offender[23][24][25]
  • Terrorism or significant politically motivated violence[23][24][25]
  • Unplanned operational critical incidents, such as situations involving armed offenders including sieges and hostage situations[23][24]
  • Planned operations involving the arrest of dangerous suspects[23][24]
  • Undertaking searches of premises in high risk situations (level three)[25]
  • Bomb related incidents[23][24][25]
  • Covert surveillance or reconnaissance beyond the scope of operational police[25]

The SOG is part of the Security Services Division of the Transit & Public Safety Command within Victoria Police.[26]

In 2016, it was announced that the SOG strength would be increased by 20 new officers.[27] Earlier in 2010, the strength of the unit had been cut to expand CIRT.[28][29] In 2016, it was also announced that the SOG would develop a new capability with their own tactical dogs.[30] In 2018, it was reported that the SOG had created a Quick Response Force (QRF) to provide a rapid response to high risk incidents that can self-deploy unlike standard call-outs.[31]

Training

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Volunteers for the SOG need to successfully complete a two-week selection course, and if successful, must then successfully complete a 12-week training course.[30][32][16][33]

In 2016, it was announced that a new A$27 million training facility would be built.[34][35] In April 2022, the Specialist Training Facility opened, it cost nearly A$60 million to build and has three firing ranges and a combat range.[36][37]

Equipment

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Since its inception the SOG wore an iconic black uniform synonymous of the SOG.[38] In 2021, the uniform colour changed to khaki.[39] The SOG use a variety of specialised weapons and equipment including the Smith & Wesson M&P pistol, SIG MCX SBR rifle, Remington 12-gauge shotguns, sniper rifles and 40 mm grenade launcher.[40][41][42]

In July 2018, the SOG took delivery of two Lenco BearCat armoured rescue vehicles, one funded by the Victorian Government and the other purchased by Victoria Police, to replace their older model BearCat.[43][44] In April 2013, the SOG had taken delivery of a BearCat funded by the Federal Government.[45][46][47] The BearCat had replaced a Canadian made Armet Armored Vehicles Balkan Mk7 that had been in service since 2009.[48][49][50] The Balkan had replaced their first armoured vehicle, a British made Composite Armoured Vehicle (CAV) 100 Land Rover Defender, acquired in 1995 after being imported for trialling by the Special Air Service Regiment.[51] In 2016, the acquisition of three new ballistic rated vehicles was announced.[27]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Silvester, John (20 October 2012). "Forget forgiveness from these 'Sons of God'". The Age. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d O'Loughlin, Heath (2017). Sons of God : inside the secret world of our Special Operations Group. Sydney, New South Wales: Pan Macmillan. ISBN 9781743539378.
  3. ^ 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 19 September 2020.
  4. ^ Miller, Mick (31 October 1977). Special Operations Group. Chief Commissioner Memorandum.
  5. ^ Murdoch, Lindsay (21 February 1980). "Police link to spy agencies". The Age. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  6. ^ Silvester, John (5 March 1995). "Role of elite police unit under review". The Sunday Age.
  7. ^ Winkler, Tim (29 August 1995). "Police to train in non-lethal intervention". The Age.
  8. ^ "Police to rely less on guns". Sydney Morning Herald. 29 August 1995.
  9. ^ a b Shuey (Ret.), Assistant Commissioner Ray. "Victoria - Police Practice in Other Jurisdictions". Barr Tribunal Report (Ireland) 2006. Damien Mulley. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  10. ^ "Police speak about Port Arthur murderer". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 April 2006. 9 April 2006. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  11. ^ Carlyon, Patrick (15 April 2016). "Port Arthur 20 years on: The day that changed Australia". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 18 November 2017.
  12. ^ Silvester, John (12 September 2014). "Naked city: Special Ops vet and Patch do the hard yards". Sydney Morning Herald. The Age - 13 September 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  13. ^ Kaila, Jon. "Behind the scenes of Victoria Police's elite bomb squad". Herald Sun. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  14. ^ Carson, Andrea (8 September 1998). "Crowd antics abysmal, say police". The Age.
  15. ^ Silvester, John (3 June 1995). "Ideas to counter terror". The Sunday Age.
  16. ^ a b "One false move..." The Age. 16 October 2005. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  17. ^ Petrie, Andrea; Milovanovic, Selma (6 April 2005). "Policeman fired fatal shot after attack". The Age. 6 April 2005. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  18. ^ Anderson, Paul (26 October 2013). "Inside the shooting death of murder suspect Wayne Joannou by Victoria's elite Special Operations Group aka the 'Sons of God'". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 27 October 2013.
  19. ^ "Victoria Police Special Operations Group (SOG) now 'The Peacemakers' after a string of fatal shootings". Herald Sun. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  20. ^ Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton media briefing. Victoria Police Media Unit (Television production). Victoria Police. 6 June 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  21. ^ Crowe, Alex; Mills Turbet, Hanna (20 September 2023). "Armed fugitive shot dead by police after three-day pursuit". The Age. Nine Entertainment. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  22. ^ "Hiring Now - Special Operations Group". Victoria Police Recruitment. Facebook. 27 November 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  23. ^ a b c d e Review of fatal shootings by Victoria Police / report of the Director, Police Integrity (PDF). Office of Police Integrity (Report). Parliamentary paper (Victoria. Parliament) ; no. 177, session 2003-2005. Melbourne: Government Printer. November 2005. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  24. ^ a b c d e "Special Operations Group". Victoria Police. Archived from the original on 22 April 2018.
  25. ^ a b c d e "106-2 SOG attendance". Victoria Police Manual. 5 March 2007.
  26. ^ "Transit and Public Safety Command". Victoria Police. 7 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  27. ^ a b "More Than 400 New Police For Crime Crack Down". Premier of Victoria. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  28. ^ "Police trim a third off terror unit". The Age. 8 April 2010. 7 April 2010.
  29. ^ "SOG bears the brunt of police shortages" (PDF). Journal : The Police Association Victoria. Melbourne. May 2010. ISSN 1443-2307. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 August 2016.
  30. ^ a b Carnovale, Maria (Autumn 2016). "In the black". Police Life - the Victoria Police magazine. Victoria Police. ISSN 0032-2598. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  31. ^ Victoria Police Annual Report 2017-2018 (PDF). Victoria Police. September 2018. p. 25. ISSN 2202-9680. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  32. ^ Houghton, Janae (Winter 2012). "Have you got the skills for the SOG". Police life : the Victoria Police magazine. Victoria Police. ISSN 0032-2598. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  33. ^ Erbrederis, Anna (October 2008). "So you want to be in the SOG". Police Life - the Victoria Police magazine. Victoria Police. ISSN 0032-2598. Archived from the original on 30 March 2016.
  34. ^ "A Landmark, Victorian-First Plan To Keep People Safe". Premier of Victoria (Press release). 7 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  35. ^ Minear, Tom (7 December 2016). "New police helicopters, body cameras in State Government crime blitz". Herald Sun. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  36. ^ Victoria Police Annual Report 2021-2022 (PDF). Victoria Police. 8 September 2022. p. 32. ISSN 2202-9680. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  37. ^ Zervos, Cassie (10 May 2022). Inside the secret training for Victoria's elite tactical police (Television production). Melbourne: 7NEWS. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022 – via Youtube.
  38. ^ "The Black Pack". Police Life - the Victoria Police magazine. Victoria Police. December 1995. p. 8-10. ISSN 0032-2598.
  39. ^ Silvester, John (21 July 2021). The change to the Special Operations Group that's caused Sly 'great sadness'. 3AW Breakfast with Ross and Russel (Radio broadcast). 3AW. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  40. ^ André, Dom. "SOG (Australia)". FLASHBANG. No. 11. France: NIMROD. Summer 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  41. ^ Peter Mitchell (24 July 2017). Elite Force. 7 News Melbourne (Television production). Seven Network. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  42. ^ Dowsley, Anthony (25 March 2017). "Victoria Police special operations, critical incident teams get new guns". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 18 November 2017.
  43. ^ "Special Operations Group expand their fleet". Victoria Police News (Press release). 29 July 2018. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018.
  44. ^ Hosking, Wes (28 July 2018). "Victoria Police Special Operations Group gets new BearCat armoured vehicles". Sunday Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018.
  45. ^ "'BearCat' to assist police in hostile situations". ABC News. 12 April 2013. 12 April 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  46. ^ "The Bearcat". Police Life - the Victoria Police magazine. Victoria Police. Spring 2013. p. 4. ISSN 0032-2598. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  47. ^ "Lenco Supplies BearCat Armored Vehicles to Australian National Counter Terrorism Committee". Lenco Armored Vehicles. 9 April 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  48. ^ "Balkan Safety Rescue Vehicle". Police Life - the Victoria Police magazine. Victoria Police. December 2009. p. 4. ISSN 0032-2598. Archived from the original on 20 February 2011.
  49. ^ "Armet Balkan - Australian Police.mpg". Armet Armored Vehicles. Youtube. 10 February 2010. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  50. ^ "Balkan MK7". Armet Armored Vehicles. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011.
  51. ^ "Armoured Land-Rovers". Land Rovers. Lloyd Allison. Retrieved 27 July 2016.

Further reading

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