[1] As a result of SACPAV recommendations after the 1978 Sydney Hilton bombing several members of the Army's elite Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) were employed as Commonwealth Police in order to create the "Commonwealth Police Counter Terrorist Operations Section" which was dissolved in 1981 after the CHOGM meeting held in Melbourne.

[1][6] The SOT boarded the Belize-registered freighter Uniana suspected of smuggling the heroin to Australia from south-east Asia.

[1][5] Specialist Response and Security (SRS) section of ACT Policing provided a full-time tactical operations unit who also performed search and rescue and riot control duties, a K9 role and bomb squad.

In 2011 SRS took delivery of Lenco BearCat armoured rescue vehicle for high risk tactical operations.

[7] SRS officers undertook the following duties within the ACT: On occasion, SRS officers also provided support to international AFP deployments overseas prior to the formation of the Operational Response Group [previously known as the Operational Response Team (ORT)].