Police tactical group

Police tactical group (PTG) is the generic term used to refer to highly trained Australian and New Zealand police tactical units that tactically manage and resolves high-risk incidents, including sieges, armed offender situations and terrorist incidents.

Each state and territory maintain a PTG able to respond and resolve high-risk incidents across their jurisdiction, and inter-state when required. Police tactical groups are fundamental to the federal government's National Counter-Terrorism Plan (NCTP) to respond to major terrorist incidents in Australia.

The plan initially developed in 1980, then known as the National Anti-Terrorism Plan, is overseen by the Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee (ANZCTC). The plan requires each state and territory police to maintain a police tactical unit designated as a police tactical group (previously police assault group) which is jointly funded by the federal government and the respective state or territory government.

The Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee (ANZCTC) defines a police tactical group as a highly trained police unit that tactically manages and resolves high-risk incidents, including terrorist incidents.

Generally, the majority of a police tactical group's planned operations and call-outs, are not counter-terrorism related, responding in their state or territory to high-risk incidents such as sieges or executing high-risk search warrants, which are beyond the scope and capability of other police units.