// BBC WORLD NEWS — MONDO
Armed police start patrols in Sydney after Bondi Beach attack
Armed police officers on patrol outside Sydney's Luna Park
Heavily-armed police officers have started patrolling Sydney's streets, as part of heightened security measures following last year's deadly shooting at Bondi Beach.
The Armed Response Command (ARC) will see specially trained officers in busy tourist areas carrying long-arm rifles – an unfamiliar sight for most residents.
New South Wales police say the officers will also patrol major events like sports matches and places of worship "to prevent, deter and rapidly respond to serious threats, including active armed offender incidents".
Fifteen people - including a 10-year-old girl – were killed in December when two gunmen opened fire on an event marking the Jewish festival of Hanukkah at the popular beach.
The attack was Australia's worst mass shooting in almost three decades and prompted sweeping gun law reforms and a crackdown on hate speech.
One resident told ABC news that the sight of armed police was "unnerving".
But another woman told the broadcaster that seeing police with weapons made her feel safe.
ARC is specifically designed to be "highly visible across Sydney, driving specialist vehicles and carrying rifles," New South Wales police said in a statement.
Its role "is built on a simple principle - preserving life," Detective Superintendent Andrew Evans said.