(AAP) NSW Police has apologised for using headscarves on two officers playing the part of terrorists during a training exercise after it was found it racially vilified Palestinians and Arabs.
The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal in May said it was unreasonable and unnecessary to wear the scarves during the drill at Sydney’s Central station in October 2017.
The exercise involved about 200 people — including police and other emergency services — to test the co-ordination and response to a terrorist or high-risk incident.
The drill included two “active armed offenders” using what looked like semi-automatic firearms holding “hostages” and wounding some with knives.
The tribunal said balaclavas or masks could have been used on the officers acting as the perpetrators instead of clothing identified with particular cultural communities in Australia.
