Counter-terrorist first response capability
The AFP’s counter-terrorist first response capability provides a coordinated approach to deterring and responding to terrorist threats at Australia’s eleven major airports.
The eleven airports are located in Adelaide, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Gold Coast, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
Protective service officers, bomb appraisal officers and firearms and explosives detection teams undertake planned activities to deter terrorist threats. Such activities may include firearms and explosives detection checks on passenger luggage or targeted sweeps of airport areas to search for improvised explosive devices.
These teams provide the first response to threats of terrorism in the aviation environment.
Protective service officers work alongside airport uniform police to deter and respond to threats of terrorism. All AFP protective service officers are trained in counter-terrorist first response techniques, and those working at major airports undertake further training specific to the aviation environment.
Bomb appraisal officers are specially trained protective service officers. The primary role of a bomb appraisal officer is to search for, locate, identify and confirm the presence or otherwise of explosive materials, or improvised explosive devices. The four-week training course undertaken by protective service officers to qualify as bomb appraisal officers is recognised by the National Counter Terrorism Committee. Bomb appraisal officers are stationed at all major Australian airports where there is a counterterrorist first response capability.
Firearms and explosive detection teams, each consisting of one dog and a handler, provide highly
mobile and unobtrusive explosive detection. Firearms and explosive detection dogs have a highly developed sense of smell, giving them the ability to detect a range of military and commercial explosives mixtures and weapons. These teams conduct regular firearms and explosives searches at major airport terminals and aviation facilities as well as searches of aircraft, baggage and freight.
In the event of a terrorist incident, the counter-terrorist first response role is to:
- contain the incident
- cordon the immediate area
- evacuate people who may be in danger
- collect relevant information
- provide on-going support in resolving the incident, as directed by the Airport Police Commander
State or Territory police are then responsible for resolving major incidents in accordance with the National Counter Terrorism Plan.
Background
The 2005 Wheeler Review into airport security and policing made key recommendations on the structure and operation of Australian airport policing and security.
The AFP developed a unified policing model to enhance existing airport security and provide a community policing presence at eleven major Australian airports, through community policing, investigations, intelligence gathering, and terrorist deterrence and response.
The AFP’s unified policing presence enables a comprehensive and coordinated approach to addressing criminality and terrorist threats in the aviation sector through:
- Airport Police Commanders, police aviation liaison officers, joint airport intelligence groups,
counter-terrorist first response teams and airport uniform police at all eleven major airports. - Joint airport investigation teams at five international airports