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.

[4] 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.

The CIRT concept was similar to the United Kingdom police armed response vehicle (ARV) that patrols ready to respond to provide specialist assistance.

This concept was first considered by Victoria Police during the review of the Special Operations Group as part of Project Beacon conducted in 1995.

[13][14] Flammable Oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray was replaced as a consequence of the Taser roll-out to a water based streamer as used by CIRT.

CIRT has specialised training and is equipped with more "less than lethal" options to resolve an incident than general duties police.

[4][31][32] CIRT provides trained and qualified police negotiators and equipment such as for Special Operations Group incidents.

[40] CIRT officers have a range of specialised equipment and weapons in their inventory ranging from ballistic and tactical vests, Team Wendy EXFIL helmets, Minuteman ballistic shields, Taser 7s, bean bag rounds, ferret rounds, gas masks, riot shields, ladders, breaching tools, various Oleoresin capsicum OC delivery systems, and the Penn Arms P540 40mm grenade launcher.

[5][32][41] Officers are armed with Smith & Wesson M&P .40 pistols, SIG MCX SBR rifles and shotguns including the Kel-Tec KSG and Remington Model 870.