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Watch: NSW Police Anti-Terror Exercise Shows How An Attack Would Go Down

Exercise Pantograph was inspired by recent terror attacks in London.
An image of one of the actors playing a gunman at Central Station.
NSW Police
An image of one of the actors playing a gunman at Central Station.

Sydney's Central Station became a battleground on Tuesday night, with a dramatic staged police operation involving violent terrorist gunmen.

The major training exercise -- called Exercise Pantograph -- involved 160 personnel from the NSW Police Force, Transport for NSW, Fire & Rescue NSW and Ambulance NSW and was inspired by recent terror attacks in London.

"Recent incidents such as the attack on London Bridge and the Borough Market, and the attacks at the Bataclan theatre in Paris, have shown us that armed terrorists, can strike anywhere at any time," Commander of the Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Command, Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch said in a statement.

"As first responders, we have to be able to deal with situations with strength and surety."

In video supplied by the police, the terrorists shoot and stab their way through Central Railway station as police and other staff respond in real-time.

"The Active Armed Offender program has been designed specifically to equip officers with the additional skills, training and resources they need when first on the scene at a terrorism or high-risk incident," Assistant Commissioner Murdoch said.

"Whilst I can't go into the exact methodology, it's fair to say this type of training is more dynamic and fluid than regular Police firearms training."

The Active Armed Offender exercise was not the result of any threat, Police said, but rather a vital component of the ongoing training program.

Exercise Pantograph was an Australia New Zealand Counter Terrorism Committee funded exercise.

Owners and operators of Crowded Places are encouraged to go to the Useful Resources section on the secureNSW website where they will find a range of guidance material to help protect crowded from terrorism.www.secure.nsw.gov.au/useful-resources

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