Do Australian police officers carry guns?

Factual Questions
1

As the title says, do Australian police officers carry pistols at all times?

2

It was my impression they carried boomerangs instead :wink:

3

short answer: yes all state police carry guns.

the New South Wales Police Force is always looking for the newest stopping power. Currently they are issuing Glocks.
Also known to tote around shotguns of various calibers, .3030’s,
and stock standard .38’s.

the Victorian Police Force shoot first and ask questions later.
I shit you not.

All the other states cart an array of weapons.

I was in Sydney when the worldwide Kurd demonstrations were being held a couple of years ago and was quite astonished at
the gear in the hands of the police.
Felt like i was on a movie set.

4

<Victorian Police>
Stop, BANG or I’ll shoot (damn!)
</Victorian Police>

Actually they’re getting better and haven’t shot anyone like this is a quite a while (or not reported anyways).

Yes, VicPol carry guns and they will not hesitate to use them in circumstances that warrant it.

They do prefer to use their nightsticks or capsicum spray for non-gun-holding offenders, but this is a preference not a rule.

5

<hijack>
Kurds or Serbs??

I was in Oz at that time, too.

According to several news reports at the time, some 5,000 Serbs stormed the US Consulate in Sydney. The Police did nothing.

About the same time, around 1,000 Serbs stormed the US Consulate in Melbourne. The Police did nothing.

And then around 500 Serbs marched on the US Embassy in Canberra. Australia Federal Police stopped them. Apparently they had no choice becase the M16-toting Marines at the Embassy would not have allowed anyone to breach the perimeter.
</hijack>

6

Hey, thanks for the responses. I’m writing a book that takes place in AU, and I needed to know if someone carrying a 9mm and pretending to be a police officer would have a chance of getting away with it.

7

Errr, I’m not sure that they carry 9mm’s, but I can’t tell you what they are (not being a gun nut). They kinda look like 45’s. Is that a gun ?

8

They do in Brisbane. And to people that don’t have much hands on experience with guns (that’d be most of us) a gun is a gun. So someone with a 9mm would probably get away with saying it was police issue.