Police will carry long-arm rifles during the final Ashes Test in Sydney amid increased security following the Bondi attack

Police will carry long-arm rifles at the final Ashes Test in Sydney as police presence continues to increase following the Bondi terror attack.

New South Wales Police said public order officers and riot police would carry weapons during the fifth and final Ashes Test, which starts at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Sunday, after similar measures were implemented at the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and New Year’s Eve events in Sydney.

Police said the decision was not the result of any active or imminent threat. “Many people may not be used to police carrying guns at sporting events, but our aim here is to make the public feel safe,” NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said.

Policing public events has come under the spotlight after 15 people were killed in a shooting at a Chanukah event, Chanukah by the Sea, on Bondi beach on December 14.

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Israel has offered to train Australian police after the attack. In a letter to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke shared online by the Australian Jewish Association on Friday, Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli said an earlier letter he received from Burke “fails to directly identify radical Islam as the driving ideology behind [the Bondi] attack”.

“We would welcome the opportunity to host and train senior Australian police and security personnel in Israel, and share our expertise and best practices in countering terrorism and anti-Semitism,” the letter ends.

The Home Secretary’s office confirmed to Guardian Australia that he had received the letter, but declined to share Burke’s original correspondence with Chikli and did not comment on whether the government was considering Israel’s offer.

“The government has taken action against hate speech, hate crime and hate symbols and continues to act through legislation announced in recent weeks,” a spokesperson said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been contacted for comment.

Following the attack, NSW Premier Chris Minns said the state government was considering deploying Australian Defense Force (ADF) troops to guard Jewish sites.

Minns has said he is also considering expanding gun access to the Jewish security organization, the Community Security Group (CSG), to allow them to carry firearms at public events such as Hanukkah at the Sea.

About 48,000 people are expected to attend the SCG in the final Test of the series, which Australia won and England lead 3-1.

First responders and those who provided subsequent support to those affected by the Bondi attack will be recognized during an on-field tribute before the start of play on Sunday, Cricket Australia has announced.

In Melbourne, officers with semi-automatic rifles were deployed to the Boxing Day Test as an extra security measure after the Bondi attack, along with 120 extra officers.

Victoria Police Commissioner Mike Bush said similar deployments would be considered on a case-by-case basis at other major events in the summer, including the Australian Open tennis tournament.

NSW Police said uniformed and mounted police would “have a strong presence” at the Sydney Test, “and conduct high-visibility patrols to ensure safety and reassure the public”.

In Sydney, more than 2,500 police officers were deployed across the Sydney metropolitan area for New Year’s Eve celebrations, including some with long-arm weapons. NSW Police described it as a “largely incident-free night”.