The Public Order Response Team (PORT) is the full-time riot unit of the Victoria Police. PORT was formed in June 2011 and was originally part of the Operations Response Unit (ORU). The core function of PORT is to respond to demonstrations and public order incidents within metropolitan Melbourne. PORT may be tasked to assist with search warrants and with situations that require a highly visible police presence. History The Force Response Unit (FRU) was established in 1993 to provide assistance to police districts throughout the state with public order, emergency and general operational incidents that were, or anticipated to be, beyond the resourcing capabilities of the district. In December 1993, the FRU cleared demonstrators 'picket line' at the Richmond Secondary College using violent baton charges and pressure point tactics to forcibly remove them. In February 1994, the FRU cleared environmental demonstrators blocking a Minister's office, using pressure point tactics to forcibly remove them. In September 2000, 953 police officers drawn from throughout the state, led by the FRU, were confronted by thousands of protestors, including violent protestors, at the S11 protest at the World Economic Forum held at Crown Casino. In 2004, the FRU launched the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) concept to also provide tactical support. The Operations Response Unit (ORU) was formed on 1 March 2010 to provide assistance to police service areas throughout the state with public safety, road policing and crime issues and had a total strength of 229 officers. The ORU assumed many of the FRU roles, displaced during the evolution of the CIRT concept, and of which Victoria Police had identified a need for a dedicated large unit from the Black Saturday bushfires. In June 2011, the ORU established PORT with 42 officers trained in crowd control and riot formations and equipped with specially designed uniforms and highly visible police vehicles. In 2012, the ORU had a total strength of 289 officers of which 105 officers had received PORT training. In 2014, PORT had 65 qualified officers. The Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation released a ‘Constable T. Bear’ in 2013 based on the Public Order Response Team. Structure The Public Order Response Team is part of the Operations Support Division of the Transit and Public Safety Command. In 2012, the ORU consisted of five teams: four ORU teams and one PORT. In 2016, the government provided funding of A$7.6 million to the ORU ongoing