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Hub AI
Critical Incident Response Team AI simulator
(@Critical Incident Response Team_simulator)
Hub AI
Critical Incident Response Team AI simulator
(@Critical Incident Response Team_simulator)
Critical Incident Response Team
The Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) is a specialist unit of the Victoria Police that provides assistance to general duties police, including a negotiator capability, to resolve high risk incidents utilising specialist tactics and equipment. CIRT was formed to conduct regular patrols of metropolitan Melbourne 24-hours, seven-day-per-week, ready to rapidly respond to incidents in Melbourne, and if necessary, in regional Victoria, by a small team of officers. CIRT has evolved to include conducting planned operations for high risk searches and arrests.
In March 2004, the Force Response Unit (FRU) launched the CIRT concept consisting of two teams of officers patrolling in a Van each 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 Special Operations Group (SOG), the elite Police Tactical Group of Victoria Police, from attending incidents not within their call out criteria. Prior to the creation of CIRT, the FRU had maintained the negotiator capability for Victoria Police.
The CIRT concept was similar to the United Kingdom police armed response vehicle (ARV) that patrols ready to respond to provide specialist assistance. A CIRT unit became known 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 consisted of a Sergeant and three other officers, one of whom was a trained negotiator. In 2010, three Vans were operated providing a third team.
As the CIRT evolved, the Force Response Unit relinquished roles to the Operational Response Unit (ORU) formed in May 2010 including the sub unit Public Order Response Team (PORT) formed in June 2011, to focus on CIRT.
Over time, certain less-than-lethal equipment used by CIRT became accessible to general duties police. In 2005, CIRT commenced using Tasers which were later trialled by general duties police in 2010. From 2014 to 2017, Tasers were rolled-out to 37 24-hour police stations in regional Victoria for general duties use. Flammable Oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray was replaced as a consequence of the Taser roll-out to a water based streamer as used by CIRT. OC Foam that had been used by CIRT since inception, and that previously had only been available to general duties officers of the rank of Sergeant or above, was made available to all general duties officers in 2008.
In December 2017, CIRT introduced Security Teams to patrol the Melbourne central business district and also major events, including the use of unmarked vehicles, to enable faster response times in the event of a terrorism incident.
The television police drama Rush produced by Network Ten from 2008 to 2011 was inspired by the CIRT concept.
Notable incidents include the Bourke Street car attack in January 2017 with CIRT ramming the offender's vehicle and shooting the offender, the shooting of a couple at a fancy dress party at a King Street nightclub in July 2017, the fatal shooting of Mohammed Ibrahim in Kew in March 2020 and the fatal shooting of a male on the Monash Freeway in Dandenong North in May 2020. COVID-19 protests in the Melbourne CBD and Shrine of Remembrance war memorial in September 2021.
Critical Incident Response Team
The Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) is a specialist unit of the Victoria Police that provides assistance to general duties police, including a negotiator capability, to resolve high risk incidents utilising specialist tactics and equipment. CIRT was formed to conduct regular patrols of metropolitan Melbourne 24-hours, seven-day-per-week, ready to rapidly respond to incidents in Melbourne, and if necessary, in regional Victoria, by a small team of officers. CIRT has evolved to include conducting planned operations for high risk searches and arrests.
In March 2004, the Force Response Unit (FRU) launched the CIRT concept consisting of two teams of officers patrolling in a Van each 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 Special Operations Group (SOG), the elite Police Tactical Group of Victoria Police, from attending incidents not within their call out criteria. Prior to the creation of CIRT, the FRU had maintained the negotiator capability for Victoria Police.
The CIRT concept was similar to the United Kingdom police armed response vehicle (ARV) that patrols ready to respond to provide specialist assistance. A CIRT unit became known 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 consisted of a Sergeant and three other officers, one of whom was a trained negotiator. In 2010, three Vans were operated providing a third team.
As the CIRT evolved, the Force Response Unit relinquished roles to the Operational Response Unit (ORU) formed in May 2010 including the sub unit Public Order Response Team (PORT) formed in June 2011, to focus on CIRT.
Over time, certain less-than-lethal equipment used by CIRT became accessible to general duties police. In 2005, CIRT commenced using Tasers which were later trialled by general duties police in 2010. From 2014 to 2017, Tasers were rolled-out to 37 24-hour police stations in regional Victoria for general duties use. Flammable Oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray was replaced as a consequence of the Taser roll-out to a water based streamer as used by CIRT. OC Foam that had been used by CIRT since inception, and that previously had only been available to general duties officers of the rank of Sergeant or above, was made available to all general duties officers in 2008.
In December 2017, CIRT introduced Security Teams to patrol the Melbourne central business district and also major events, including the use of unmarked vehicles, to enable faster response times in the event of a terrorism incident.
The television police drama Rush produced by Network Ten from 2008 to 2011 was inspired by the CIRT concept.
Notable incidents include the Bourke Street car attack in January 2017 with CIRT ramming the offender's vehicle and shooting the offender, the shooting of a couple at a fancy dress party at a King Street nightclub in July 2017, the fatal shooting of Mohammed Ibrahim in Kew in March 2020 and the fatal shooting of a male on the Monash Freeway in Dandenong North in May 2020. COVID-19 protests in the Melbourne CBD and Shrine of Remembrance war memorial in September 2021.