Now, on Tuesday, I spoke to Senior Sergeant Meecham King about a counter terrorism exercise that was going to be conducted in the Darwin CBD by the Territory Response Group. Well, it actually took place last night at our old studios on Pirie Street, giving the unit a unique opportunity to practice an assault on a building to rescue hostages. And we'll Senior Sergeant Meecham King joins me in the studio right now. Good morning to you again, Meeta. Very well, Now, before I sort of introduce our other guests, we might just play a little bit of audio of some of what went down last night. Let's have a bit of a listen. We're having some.

Now, on Tuesday, I spoke to Senior Sergeant Meecham King about a counter terrorism exercise that was going to be conducted in the Darwin CBD by the Territory Response Group. Well, it actually took place last night at our old studios on Pirie Street, giving the unit a unique opportunity to practice an assault on a building to rescue hostages. And we'll Senior Sergeant Meecham King joins me in the studio right now. Good morning to you again, Meeta. Very well, Now, before I sort of introduce our other guests, we might just play a little bit of audio of some of what went down last night. Let's have a bit of a listen. We're having some.

You know, have you recognized that voice that was Crystal streaming out that?

You know, have you recognized that voice that was Crystal streaming out that?

My name's Anthony Alban Easy and Crystal joins us in this studio as well, because meet them. Not only did you use our old studios, but also a lot of our staff were actually involved as hostages.

My name's Anthony Alban Easy and Crystal joins us in this studio as well, because meet them. Not only did you use our old studios, but also a lot of our staff were actually involved as hostages.

Last night when the building came up. I was we were very lucky that Mike, your general manager, and Adam from Adam and Construction basically said do you want to use it for training? I said, yep, and I said, and Mike was asking me, what do you do. We'll get some hostages, We'll get some old players. Said, oh, my Staf, would mind can play along it? Bring me along? And so then we had about seventeen eighteen of your staff in last night.

Last night when the building came up. I was we were very lucky that Mike, your general manager, and Adam from Adam and Construction basically said do you want to use it for training? I said, yep, and I said, and Mike was asking me, what do you do. We'll get some hostages, We'll get some old players. Said, oh, my Staf, would mind can play along it? Bring me along? And so then we had about seventeen eighteen of your staff in last night.

It was awesome.

It was awesome.

How did Crystal go being Anthony Albany?

How did Crystal go being Anthony Albany?

Oh?

Oh?

It was good that they were all standing around and they were getting a little bit nervous when I started handing out the ear protection eye protection. Then they started getting cocky. Then we put them the spot and then started getting closer. We were getting very nervous and quiet, and I'm not sure what I've got myself into here. Yeah, but they did well. They all did really really well.

It was good that they were all standing around and they were getting a little bit nervous when I started handing out the ear protection eye protection. Then they started getting cocky. Then we put them the spot and then started getting closer. We were getting very nervous and quiet, and I'm not sure what I've got myself into here. Yeah, but they did well. They all did really really well.

So well Crystal, How real was it like? What was it like having to pretend to be the minister in a scenario like that?

So well Crystal, How real was it like? What was it like having to pretend to be the minister in a scenario like that?

Oh, look, it's pretty scary to be honest, Like you're couting in the corner after you know this, we've been people are taking hostage. We're doing a debate with Peter Darston aka JACKX from Hot one hundred. Yeah, then the lights all went off and yeah, it all got underway.

Oh, look, it's pretty scary to be honest, Like you're couting in the corner after you know this, we've been people are taking hostage. We're doing a debate with Peter Darston aka JACKX from Hot one hundred. Yeah, then the lights all went off and yeah, it all got underway.

Yeah, and I mean the thing is you wouldn't ordinarily get the opportunity right to sort of use an old building like that, but also use an old building that's former radio studios where you can put a scenario like that into operation.

Yeah, and I mean the thing is you wouldn't ordinarily get the opportunity right to sort of use an old building like that, but also use an old building that's former radio studios where you can put a scenario like that into operation.

Yeah, so they really fit really well for the scenario. Obviously we built the scenario around the building and having a lot of air debate, which you've done numerous times and people around the country. It's sort of fit the place and having the studios in a hard to get place of the building. So once they made entry using explosives on the doors, they're do had to work their way through the building to find with the VIPs were hidden away with the terrace around them, so extremely challenging. But it worked really really well, and I think that was probably one of the best ex as we've done probably about ten years, I think, especially in the CBD as well. We don't often get it. Chan has to come in most of the buildings and you so they had to go through all the training aspects and the planning aspects of how we could do.

Yeah, so they really fit really well for the scenario. Obviously we built the scenario around the building and having a lot of air debate, which you've done numerous times and people around the country. It's sort of fit the place and having the studios in a hard to get place of the building. So once they made entry using explosives on the doors, they're do had to work their way through the building to find with the VIPs were hidden away with the terrace around them, so extremely challenging. But it worked really really well, and I think that was probably one of the best ex as we've done probably about ten years, I think, especially in the CBD as well. We don't often get it. Chan has to come in most of the buildings and you so they had to go through all the training aspects and the planning aspects of how we could do.

That well and Chrystal I spoke to our general manager Mike Harvey downstairs a little earlier this morning. He said he was a hostage. He he was like it was real. It was very real.

That well and Chrystal I spoke to our general manager Mike Harvey downstairs a little earlier this morning. He said he was a hostage. He he was like it was real. It was very real.

Oh yeah, like you know, the noise, the dust, lots of loud bangs. Mike was injured in the role play. You know, a couple of bandages on people, having their hostages, having their clothes you know, ripped off, they had wounds, bullet marks. Yeah, it was pretty intense. It was very realistic.

Oh yeah, like you know, the noise, the dust, lots of loud bangs. Mike was injured in the role play. You know, a couple of bandages on people, having their hostages, having their clothes you know, ripped off, they had wounds, bullet marks. Yeah, it was pretty intense. It was very realistic.

Yeah. Well, and as it needs to be right because our Territory Response Group essentially have to be there when things go really really bad.

Yeah. Well, and as it needs to be right because our Territory Response Group essentially have to be there when things go really really bad.

That's great. Yeah, Like I said, were response before counter terrors and high risk operations in the territory, and with a situation like that, we can't really bring Saint John's other medical people into get safe. So in that scenario, we had a couple of medical personnel come in to put when the boys come in and they clear and made it say then they had to start getting straight into the life saving first day before we could get our notional people to come in and when we came across to them.

That's great. Yeah, Like I said, were response before counter terrors and high risk operations in the territory, and with a situation like that, we can't really bring Saint John's other medical people into get safe. So in that scenario, we had a couple of medical personnel come in to put when the boys come in and they clear and made it say then they had to start getting straight into the life saving first day before we could get our notional people to come in and when we came across to them.

So now, tell me what's been the feedback from you know, like not only from the TRG, but some of the different teams that were involved.

So now, tell me what's been the feedback from you know, like not only from the TRG, but some of the different teams that were involved.

Yeah, it's been very positive. We've got a sergeant course runn at the moment of the college and I was instructed that yesterday they came out as the police four commanders and we had the watch command and the two judis super coming out as well, so they got exposed to the calls and how it went the handover post incident, so it was good for that sort of thing. We had our general duties helping with the roadblocks, just with the dogs in mount units they got to see it. We water police came put the drown ups. We got some footage so they got to see some of the aspects. So it's a bit of an interactive with the whole the police force because we'll need obviously a lot of other units were sisters in a big job like this.

Yeah, it's been very positive. We've got a sergeant course runn at the moment of the college and I was instructed that yesterday they came out as the police four commanders and we had the watch command and the two judis super coming out as well, so they got exposed to the calls and how it went the handover post incident, so it was good for that sort of thing. We had our general duties helping with the roadblocks, just with the dogs in mount units they got to see it. We water police came put the drown ups. We got some footage so they got to see some of the aspects. So it's a bit of an interactive with the whole the police force because we'll need obviously a lot of other units were sisters in a big job like this.

That's really good, Meacham. What did the neighbors think? Did they know what was going on?

That's really good, Meacham. What did the neighbors think? Did they know what was going on?

We did a door knock and we obviously the radio stuff and the social media and we let it drops. But there was a lot of lights off and the banks went off. There's a lot of lights came on and people come out of the back and he's having a bit of a look and a lady was getting someone Uncle Sam's. We had a place that's they're saying, what's going on? Took off?

We did a door knock and we obviously the radio stuff and the social media and we let it drops. But there was a lot of lights off and the banks went off. There's a lot of lights came on and people come out of the back and he's having a bit of a look and a lady was getting someone Uncle Sam's. We had a place that's they're saying, what's going on? Took off?

Yeah, it was good, a good thing to do, now tell me I know that. And you've sort of touched on this as well. The unders like the TRG really doesn't have access to condemned buildings very often. So how important is it to be able to conduct that kind of training.

Yeah, it was good, a good thing to do, now tell me I know that. And you've sort of touched on this as well. The unders like the TRG really doesn't have access to condemned buildings very often. So how important is it to be able to conduct that kind of training.

It's essential, absolutely essential. Or you can train as much as we can the venues we use, and we use the fence facilities as well, but to get a place where only the safety officers had seen the building to make sure the training was good. None of the teams had seen it. So then to come in and see a building they've never seen before and clear it the way they did last night, it was pretty outstanding.

It's essential, absolutely essential. Or you can train as much as we can the venues we use, and we use the fence facilities as well, but to get a place where only the safety officers had seen the building to make sure the training was good. None of the teams had seen it. So then to come in and see a building they've never seen before and clear it the way they did last night, it was pretty outstanding.

And I mean, I guess territories can be rest assured that that should something you know, really terrible like that happened. Yeah, our police have done that training and.

And I mean, I guess territories can be rest assured that that should something you know, really terrible like that happened. Yeah, our police have done that training and.

We always said the other day we send teams across Australia for multi exercises and training and the empty hole design against the bigger states with their their stuff. So we Yeah, a good bunch of blokes, good bunch of training, felt very safe.

We always said the other day we send teams across Australia for multi exercises and training and the empty hole design against the bigger states with their their stuff. So we Yeah, a good bunch of blokes, good bunch of training, felt very safe.

They came in, identified who I was, was escorted into another room with Jaspeter. You know we waited there. One stage we had four officers in their communicating. Yeah, they cleared the building, got us out safely into the armored vehicle.

They came in, identified who I was, was escorted into another room with Jaspeter. You know we waited there. One stage we had four officers in their communicating. Yeah, they cleared the building, got us out safely into the armored vehicle.

Who won the debate?

Who won the debate?

Crystal?

Crystal?

Of course I'm the Prime Minister, County.

Of course I'm the Prime Minister, County.

Of course I did. Our listeners might not like that that you were playing the prime minister.

Of course I did. Our listeners might not like that that you were playing the prime minister.

A bit of fun, a bit of training.

A bit of fun, a bit of training.

Now tell me before I let you go meet your what states the old building in it's.

Now tell me before I let you go meet your what states the old building in it's.

A bit of state to disrepair? Obviously they were breaking bits and pieces of all good stuff.

A bit of state to disrepair? Obviously they were breaking bits and pieces of all good stuff.

Well on pleased that that the building, the old building was put to good use. Meecham King, Senior Sergeant of course with the Territory Response Group. Thank you so much for your time. Thanks

Well on pleased that that the building, the old building was put to good use. Meecham King, Senior Sergeant of course with the Territory Response Group. Thank you so much for your time. Thanks