Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) is the Police Tactical Group of the Queensland Police Service (QPS) and also provides a high angle rescue response. SERT provides the QPS with the ability to respond to high risk situations incidents statewide. SERT is based in Brisbane and Cairns to ensure that specialists capabilities are available to support police at any location in Queensland. History In mid-1966, Jack Pizzey, then Minister for Education and Police, instructed the Commissioner of Police to form an Emergency Squad. Hand picked officers completed specialised training with the New South Wales Police Force similarly named unit and became operational in 1968. Initially, the Squad included 33 men, handpicked and trained in tactics to apprehend armed offenders in siege situations, hijacking of aircraft and counter-terrorism. In the mid 1980s, the Emergency Squad was a part-time unit of 50 officers, from various sections of the Brisbane Criminal Investigation Branch and from uniform, with officers performing normal policing duties and responding to incidents as required. In addition, a small six man Emergency Squad was located in Townsville to respond to incidents in North Queensland and to act in a holding capacity until the arrival of Brisbane officers. In 1987, the Emergency Squad was divided into sub-units and renamed the Tactical Response Group (TRG). In 1989 the Tactical Response team, a part of the TRG became a separate unit – the Special Weapons and Operations Squad known as SWOS. SWOS was a part-time unit with officers performing normal policing duties, responding to incidents as required and training one day per a fortnight. In 1992, the Queensland Police Service established a full-time dedicated police tactical group the Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) from SWOS. The role of SERT also included undertaking of high angle rescue and land search co-ordination. SERT had a long tradition of training with Japanese police Special Assault Team officers providing an opportunity to share tactics, equipment and training methodologies. Notable recent incidents include disarming an armed man in the Queen Street Mall in Brisbane in March 2013. In December 2018, SERT assisted in the apprehension of two gunmen during a 6-hour-long siege in Auchenflower, wherein one officer was shot at, but not wounded. SERT contributed to the security forces assigned to protect the 2014 G20 Brisbane summit and 2018 Commonwealth Games. The primary unit of SERT is based in Brisbane part of the Specialist Response Branch in the Operations