Special Tactics Group
Active
  • 1977 to 1991 (Anti-Terrorist Squad)
  • 1991 to present (Special Tactics Group)
CountryNew Zealand
AgencyNew Zealand Police
TypePolice tactical unit
Role
HeadquartersWellington
AbbreviationSTG
Structure
Operators39[1]
Sections
Notables
Significant operation(s)

The Special Tactics Group (STG) is the full-time police tactical group of the New Zealand Police. The STG, originally named the Anti-Terrorist Squad, was established to respond to high-risk situations which are beyond the scope or capacity of everyday policing. STG officers directly support operational police in incidents, such as sieges, with specialist tactical, negotiation, intelligence, and command support services.

Officers are assigned to the STG on a full-time basis with sections based in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.[2] In 2012, the STG became a police tactical group following the New Zealand government joining Australia’s national counter-terrorism coordination organisation.[3]

History

In 1977, the New Zealand Police formed the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) a part-time national unit to respond to terrorist incidents.[4][5] Training commenced in July 1977 for selected members of the Armed Offenders Squad (AOS). A section of the ATS was based in Wellington with smaller sections based in Auckland and Christchurch.[6] Commissioner of Police John Jamieson sent the group in response to the Aramoana massacre in 1990.[7] They located gunman David Gray and ended his spree. Group member Stephen Vaughan was shot in the ankle during the final shoot-out.

In 1991, the ATS was renamed the Special Tactics Group.[8][9][10] The STG was tasked with additional roles.[11] On 1 July 2003, the STG became a full-time group due to changes made by the New Zealand Police in response to worldwide terrorism-related events.[12][13][4] In May 2009, the STG was involved in the Napier shootings alongside their colleagues in the Armed Offenders Squad.[10] In March 2019, the STG responded to a terrorist attack at two mosques in Christchurch providing specialist first aid to the victims.[14][15] The STG was coincidentally at a sniping course with international police at Burnham Military Camp in Christchurch and armed operators from Australian police tactical groups also responded to the attack at the Al Noor mosque.[15][16] In September 2021, two STG operators fatally shot a "ISIS-inspired" terrorist following a stabbing attack at a Countdown supermarket in Auckland.[17][18]

Role

The STG deals with armed incidents that are beyond the capability of the part-time Armed Offenders Squad, of which they are also members. While the Armed Offenders Squad is trained to cordon or contain high risk situations such as sieges, the Special Tactics Group is trained to resolve them.[19] The group also provides specialist protection to high risk persons and VIPs.[20] The STG is supported during its operations by the Armed Offenders Squad, Police Negotiation Teams and canine units trained for use in situations involving firearms.

The group is known to train with New Zealand Special Air Service of which little public information is released as well as with Australian police tactical groups.[21][22][12][23]

The STG has provided specialist armed officers for overseas operations such as the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), working alongside officers from the Australian Federal Police.[10] The STG has deployed to Australia to assist Australian police tactical groups with security at major events including the 2007 APEC meeting in Sydney and the 2014 G20 summit in Brisbane.[24][4] STG have been part of all major security operations in New Zealand including the 1990 Commonwealth Games, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 1995, APEC meetings, royal and VIP tours.[20] In 2012, the New Zealand Government entered into Australia's National Counter-Terrorism arrangement forming a co-operation partnership between the countries with the committee that oversees the agreement renamed to the Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee.[3]

The STG works closely with No. 3 Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force utilising their NH-90 helicopters for both training and operations including with fast roping.[25][26][27] The New Zealand Police Air Support Unit also provides the STG with support with their Bell 429 GlobalRanger helicopters.[28][25]

Principal roles

  • Protecting endangered witnesses
  • Resolving siege and hostage situations, as well as with AOS.
  • Undertaking searches of premises in high-risk situations
  • Collecting tactical information on criminal activities
  • The arrest of armed and dangerous offenders
  • Escorting and securing dangerous prisoners in high-risk situations
  • Providing support services for major operations
  • Escorting and protecting VIPs and other at-risk or important persons

The STG also provides specialist assistance in performing tasks that are beyond the scope of operational police. Some of these tasks may require specialist equipment or expertise in certain areas.

In 2017–18, the STG "were deployed 84 times".[4]

Requirements

Positions are open to current or past members of the Armed Offenders Squad. Officers must successfully complete the STG four-day selection course and three-week qualification course to gain selection to the unit.[2] In 2007, the first woman passed the selection course.[29]

Equipment

In keeping with the weapons available to front-line officers, the STG are issued with the following equipment:

For deployment of CS gas, the Remington 870 shotgun and HK69 grenade launcher can be used while the shotgun may also apply for breaching purposes. In 2013, the STG was issued with non-lethal 40mm XM1006 sponge rounds that are fired from the HK69 grenade launcher.[31]

When responding to incidents, or executing planned operations, AOS officers utilise both standard marked and unmarked cars, and large four-wheel drive vehicles, such as the Nissan Patrol. These are fitted with running boards and roof rails, to allow officers to stand on the side while the vehicle is in motion, as well as having enclosed boxes on the roof for carrying equipment.[32]

In 2009, two New Zealand Army LAV III light armour vehicles were utilised in response to the Napier shootings. The STG has since conducted training exercises with the LAV III.[22] In 2019, the STG took delivery of three ASC armoured Toyota Land Cruisers.[33][34]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Written question - 5950 (2008). Ron Mark to the Minister of Police". NZ Parliament. 19 June 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Staff recruited for specialist team". Ten One Magazine. No. 353. New Zealand Police. January 2012. Archived from the original on 19 January 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee". Australian National Security. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Tso, Matthew (23 December 2018). "New Zealand Police anti-terrorist unit costs taxpayers $6.2 million". Stuff. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  5. ↑ Keith, Sir Kenneth (December 1991). Final Report on Emergencies (PDF). Report No 22. Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Law Commission. OCLC 28820953. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  6. ↑ New Zealand Police Department - Annual Report for the Year Ended 31 March 1978 (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: Government Printer. 1978. p. 18. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  7. ↑ Forbes, Murray J. (1997). Confessions from the front line. Sandringham, Auckland: Howling at the Moon Productions. p. 199. ISBN 0-9583568-5-8.
  8. ↑ Van Beynen, Ray (1998). Zero-Alpha: The NZ Police Armed Offenders Squad official history. North Harbour, Auckland: Howling at the Moon Productions. p. 209. ISBN 0-9583717-4-1.
  9. ↑ Forbes, Murray J. (1997). Confessions from the front line. Sandringham, Auckland: Howling at the Moon Productions. p. 178. ISBN 0-9583568-5-8.
  10. 1 2 3 "Police trained for 'ugly situation'". The Press. 8 May 2009. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
  11. ↑ Macleod, Scott (22 April 2002). "Camouflaged 'ghosts' the police elite". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  12. 1 2 "Inside the STG". Ten-one : the New Zealand Police online magazine. No. 409. Wellington, N.Z: New Zealand Police. December 2016. ISSN 1179-8807. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  13. ↑ "Written question - 1900 (2005). Hon Tony Ryall to the Minister of Police". NZ Parliament. 18 February 2005. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  14. ↑ Canterbury CIB. Operation Deans - Evidential Overview 15 March 2019 (PDF) (Report). New Zealand Police. Released February 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  15. 1 2 Kenny, Katie (19 March 2019). "Global sharpshooters trained in Christchurch as mosque shooting unfolded". Stuff. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  16. ↑ Ashford, Jeff; Heron, Michael; Kaldas, Nick. Operation Deans - The first 48 hours - Formal Police Debrief (PDF) (Report). Independent Debrief Panel - New Zealand Police. pp. 10–11. Released December 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  17. ↑ Daly, Michael (3 September 2021). "Recap: Auckland supermarket stabbings a terror attack, Prime Minister says". Stuff. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  18. ↑ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (4 September 2021). "Prime Minister's update on the 3 September Auckland terrorist attack". Beehive.govt.nz - official website of the New Zealand Government. (Press release). Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  19. ↑ "Police expand anti-terrorism unit". The New Zealand Herald. 13 September 2002. Archived from the original on 13 October 2012.
  20. 1 2 "Responding to the threat of terrorism". New Zealand Police. Archived from the original on 21 March 2008.
  21. ↑ Mead, Thomas (13 August 2013). "VIDEO: Police special tactics group train in red zone". 3 News. MediaWorks TV. Archived from the original on 26 August 2013.
  22. 1 2 "We've got your back" (PDF). Force4NZ : the magazine of the New Zealand Defence Force. No. 5. New Zealand Defence Force. February 2016. p. 9. ISSN 2422-8680. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2017.
  23. ↑ "Police training turns up the heat". The Press. Stuff. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  24. ↑ "APEC Meeting (Police Powers) Bill 2007". NSWGovernment. 7 June 2007. Archived from the original on 19 November 2007.
  25. 1 2 Kiwi Plane Videos (2 March 2021). Hood Aerodrome : helicopter hijacked and armed offenders respond display - Wings Over Wairarapa (Videotape). Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021 – via YouTube.
  26. ↑ Maas, Amy (11 August 2011). "Black-clad police to swarm city". Stuff. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  27. ↑ "RNZAF Iroquois support Police STG on Cook Strait Exercise". infonews.co.nz. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  28. ↑ "Police unveil new Eagle helicopters for Air Support Unit". New Zealand Police (Press release). 12 July 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  29. ↑ "Not just one of the boys". Ten-one : the New Zealand Police online magazine. No. 408. Wellington, N.Z: New Zealand Police. November 2016. ISSN 1179-8807. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  30. ↑ Young, Warren. "World Factbook of Criminal Justice Systems – New Zealand". U.S. Department of Justice. Archived from the original on 14 February 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  31. ↑ "New tactical option available to specialist groups (+ photos)". New Zealand Police (Press release). 29 November 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  32. ↑ "Photos: Napier shooting (armed police riding a Nissan Patrol)". The New Zealand Herald. 7 May 2009. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012.
  33. ↑ "Body armour for specialist Police vehicles". New Zealand Police (Press release). 9 December 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  34. ↑ Biddle, Donna-Lee (9 December 2019). "Police launch million-dollar bullet-proof blast-resistant Toyota Land Cruisers". Stuff. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
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