Critical Incident Response Team
| Critical Incident Response Team | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | 2004 - Present |
| Country |
 Australia |
| Branch | Victoria Police |
| Role | Law Enforcement |
| Size | 187 officers |
| Part of | Security Services Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Melbourne |
The Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) are teams of officers from the Victoria Police Force Response Unit (FRU) available to provide assistance to general duties police, including a negotiator capability, to resolve high risk incidents utilising specialist tactics and equipment. CIRT teams patrol metropolitan Melbourne 24-hours, seven-day-per-week, ready to rapidly respond to incidents in Melbourne, and if necessary, in regional Victoria.
In March 2004, the FRU launched the CIRT concept with two teams to provide specialist assistance to general duties police with a primary focus on tactical support and negotiation capabilities supported by a greater range of less-than-lethal options, and as a consequence to relieve the elite Special Operations Group (SOG) tactical unit from attending incidents not within their call out criteria.
The concept is similar to the British police Armed response vehicle (ARV) that patrol ready to respond to provide specialist assistance. An individual CIRT is referred to as a Van due to their use of this vehicle, similar to use of the acronym ARV. This concept was first considered by Victoria Police during the review of the Special Operations Group as part of Project Beacon conducted in 1995.
Each CIRT consists of a Sergeant and three other officers, one of whom is a trained negotiator. The FRU now operates three Vans.
The primary role of the FRU subsequently changed to providing CIRT teams whilst continuing to maintain the negotiator capability for Victoria Police.
The television police drama Rush produced by Network Ten from 2008 to 2011 was inspired by the Critical Incident Response Team.
In 2005, the Office of Police Integrity recommended that regional Victoria have a CIRT presence, in addition, to the Dog Squad basing dogs in regional Victoria. The Police Association is reported to have requested that Vans have a presence across the state. In contrast, the New South Wales Police Force has part-time State Protection Support Units based in regional areas in addition to dogs.
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Wikipedia