By Joy Fang

 IN THE 1970s, the crack police unit, Special Operations Command (SOC), struck fear in rioters and gangsters during times of unrest.

Today, they strike fear in the hearts of terrorists.

Equipped with a wide-ranging arsenal, such as submachine guns and automatic pistols, the Police Tactical Unit within the SOC has come a long way. In the past, members were just armed with irritant smoke grenades,
long batons and wicker shields.

The police gave reporters an idea of the capabilities of the SOC yesterday at a briefing, even as SOC officers
continue their involvement in this year's ongoing Exercise Northstar VII.

They have already participated in anti-terror drills as part of the exercise in various places, such as Cafe del Mar, VivoCity and Raffles Place MRT station.

Yesterday, Superintendent Arthur Law, head of operations in SOC, said the officers have been "evolving, developing and strengthening our counter-terrorist capabilities" since terrorism became a more obvious threat.

Assistant Commissioner (AC) Raymond Yeo, the commander of SOC, said their troops undergo a rigorous training programme, which ensure they have a "high standard of firearms proficiency as well as tactical competency".

AC Ng Guat Ting, director of public affairs, said that with specialised protective gear, such as ballistic helmets, tactical goggles and bullet-proof vests, and "superior firepower", the officers are geared up to counteract heavily-armed terrorists.

Not only that, the forces are more versatile and nimble. They are also trained to respond quicker to terrorist attacks and are able to reach the scene within minutes upon activation, AC Yeo said.

He added that SOC officers are trained to break up into smaller teams to better contain potential terrorist attacks on multiple sites.

"Rampaging gunmen might operate in smaller teams themselves...so we want to anticipate that," he said.

As part of their development, officers are sent for joint training and exchange programmes with their counterparts
in countries such as the United States, France and Britain.

For more my paper stories click here.