Active 1977 - Present Branch Victoria Police | Country Australia Garrison/HQ Melbourne | |
Role Law Enforcement and domestic Counter-Terrorism Part of Security Services Division | ||
The Special Operations Group (SOG) is the Police Tactical Group of the Victoria Police who wear iconic black coveralls synonymous of the SOG. The unit was formed in 1977 and is based in Melbourne.
Contents
History
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. The first the public was aware of the existence of the SOG was by an article in The Age newspaper in 1980.
In 1992, the Nine Network screened a documentary on the SOG selection course that included long runs, interspersed with scoffing warm beer and meat pies until the volunteers threw up. 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 force to be used as a last resort. In 1996, the SOG became the first Police Tactical Group to deploy interstate, with twelve 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.
In 2003, the Bomb Response Unit (BRU) was established with dedicated officers within the SOG who had always provided a bomb search and disposal capability to Victoria Police. In 2004, the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) was formed to respond to high risk non-firearm incidents to reduce the SOG workload. 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. 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.
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.
In 2016, it was announced that the SOG strength would be increased by 20 new officers. Earlier in 2010, the strength of the unit had been cut to expand CIRT. It was also reported that in 2016 the SOG may obtain a new capability with their own tactical dog.
The SOG has two nicknames Soggies and the Sons of God, the latter a backronym made from the initials SOG. The unofficial SOG emblem is telescopic crosshairs superimposed over a balaclava-clad head on an outline of Australia.
Notable recent incidents include the fatal shooting of Mohamed Chaouk in April 2005 in Brooklyn, Wayne Joannou in February 2005 in South Melbourne, and earlier the fatal shooting of Norman Leung Lee in July 1992 at Melbourne Airport, the manhunt for Melbourne Remand Centre 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.
The SOG is part of the Security Services Division of the Transit & Public Safety command within Victoria Police.
Principal roles
The SOG roles include, but are not limited to:-
- Armed offender
- Terrorism or significant politically motivated violence
- Unplanned operational critical incidents, such as situations involving armed offenders including sieges and hostage situations
- Planned operations involving the arrest of dangerous suspects
- Undertaking searches of premises in high risk situations (level three)
- Bomb related incidents
- Covert surveillance or reconnaissance beyond the scope of operational police
The SOG has different teams based in Melbourne, led by a Senior Sergeant (who mainly handles administration and major operations). There are then team supervisors, led by Sergeants. These teams are co-ordinated and dispatched accordingly, by the respective police service area - local area commanders (Inspectors) upon request and liaison with the SOG commander (Inspector) and/or team managers (Senior Sergeants).
As can be expected, the SOG is the upper level of major incident response, after general duties (uniform) and the CIRT, who don't have the skills, experience and/or training needed for the situation. Hence, the dispatch of such unit is handled with authority and care. Sometimes teams from the unit may have to travel long distances (i.e.) regional Victoria.
Training
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.
In 2016, it was announced that a new $27 million training facility would be built.
Equipment
The SOG use a variety of specialised weapons and equipment including variants of the M4 Carbine, replacing the Steyr AUG and the Heckler & Koch MP5, and use the Heckler & Koch USP handgun chambered in .45 ACP caliber.
In April 2013, the SOG took delivery of a Lenco BearCat armoured rescue vehicle provided by the Federal Government to all Australian police jurisdictions. Since 2009, the SOG has used a Canadian made Armet Armored Vehicles Balkan Mk7. The Balkan replaced the British made Composite Armoured Vehicle (CAV) 100 Land Rover Defender acquired in 1995 after being imported for trialling by the Special Air Service Regiment.
In 2014, an SOG operation involved the use of an Australian made Bushmaster armoured vehicle with police decals and Victorian number plate. In 2016, the acquisition of a new heavy armoured vehicle and three new bulletproof vehicles was announced.