Special Tasks and Rescue
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'''Special Tasks and Rescue''' ('''STAR''') is the [[Police Tactical Group]] of the [[South Australia Police]].
[[Image:Sa44.jpg|thumb|150px|right|STAR Group tactical uniform breast patch]]
==History==
Formed on [[30 November]], [[1978]] the South Australian Police STAR Group was a rationalisation of specialist resources into one command/unit. Specialist units had existed prior to 1978 within SAPOL to deal with emergency situations such as sieges and armed offenders situations [http://www.sapolice.sa.gov.au/sapol/about_us/structure/operations_support_service/special_tasks_rescue_group.jsp].
As in other states, SAPOL decided that it would be more practical and expedient to combine all the skills of various tactical/special units in one unit and to have specialist personnel on duty or available on call, at all times to deal with emergencies.
Further restructuring in 1994 saw STAR Group expand its role to include Water Police and the Coordination of Negotiators.
==Mission==
STAR Group is designed to handle problems and situations which require more concentrated attention than can normally be provided by the General Patrol Police and/or which call for tactics which cannot be used by patrol members in uniform [http://www.police.sa.gov.au/sapol/about_us/structure/operations_support_service/special_tasks_rescue_group.jsp?text_only=true].
The unit consists of highly trained personnel skilled in the use of firearms, counter-terrorist tactics, crowd control, crime prevention techniques, underwater recovery, water policing, Close Personal Protection and search and rescue operations. Thus there is available at all times a mobile patrol force to assist other line units in emergencies of any kind, and to act as a support force in crime control operations [http://www.sapolice.sa.gov.au/sapol/about_us/structure/operations_support_service/special_tasks_rescue_group.jsp].
==Principle roles==
[[Image:Stargroupnews.jpg|thumb|150px|right|STAR Group tactical officers at a siege]]
* Search and rescue
* Helicopter operations
* The arrest of armed and dangerous offenders
* Provide close-quarter CPP and related security measures as necessary.
* VIP Security
* Patrol deployment as a crime prevention
* Resolving siege and hostage situations, as well as armed offender situations;
* Riot/crowd control
==Sections==
* Training and Development Section
* Tactical Operations Section
* Search and Rescue
* Aircraft Services (Police Airwing)
* Dog Squad
* Mounted Operations Unit
==See also==
===Similar Australian units===
{{See also|Police Tactical Group}}
* '''Australian Defence Force''' - [[Tactical Assault Group]]
===International units===
* [[SWAT|SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics)]]
* [[List of Special Response Units]]
===Related articles===
* [[National Anti Terrorism Exercise]]
* [[Counter-terrorism]]
==External links==
*{{en icon}} [http://www.sapolice.sa.gov.au/sapol/about_us/structure/operations_support_service/special_tasks_rescue_group.jsp Official website]
[[Category:Police units of Australia]]