[5] In 1992, the Nine Network screened a television documentary on the SOG selection course, that included long runs, interspersed with scoffing warm beer and meat pies until the volunteers threw up, to demonstrate how drinking any alcohol while on call, would impair functioning.

[1] In 1995, following a review of the SOG as part of Project Beacon, safety-first tactics were introduced along with less-than-lethal equipment with the philosophy that use of force is the last resort.

[9] Such as a call out in September 1998 when the SOG disarmed a sword-wielding mentally ill man in a two-hour stand off in front of a 2000-strong crowd near Flinders Street station.

[2][1] The unofficial SOG emblem is telescopic crosshairs superimposed over a balaclava-clad head on an outline of Australia.

[2][16] Notable incidents include the fatal shooting of Wayne Joannou in February 2005 in South Melbourne, Mohamed Chaouk in April 2005 in Brooklyn, Norman Leung Lee in July 1992 at Melbourne Airport, the manhunt for Melbourne Assessment Prison escapees in March 1993 near Jamieson, resolving a siege at a law firm in Mitcham in June 1996 with tear gas, and a siege in Kangaroo Flat in October 1999 in which four uniform officers had been wounded.

[17][18][19] Recents incidents include the Brighton siege in June 2017 and the fatal shooting of Stanley Turvey in Ardmona in September 2023.

The SOG provides Victoria Police with a counter terrorist and high risk arrest response capability.