Tactical officer gives evidence at inquest

The tactical commander during the Sydney siege says storming the Lindt Cafe as part of a direct action plan should not have been the last resort.

Ammunition used by police during the Sydney siege was more likely to fragment, an inquest has heard. (AAP)

The tactical commander during the Sydney siege has told an inquest that ending the Lindt Cafe stand-off through direct action would have been less risky.

The chief inspector and Tactical Operations Unit member who also serves as an Australian special forces soldier has told the inquest into the siege that the emergency action plan, triggered after Lindt Cafe manager Tori Johnson was killed, should instead have been the last resort.

The inquest into the December 2014 siege has previously heard details of a discussion between NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione and Assistant Commissioner Mark Jenkins during which it was decided that deliberate or direct action, in which officers would storm the cafe, was to be the last resort, avoiding forcing an end to the siege.

Details of the telephone conversation between Mr Scipione and Mr Jenkins, at about 10.57pm on the night of the siege, were recorded in a police log.

Mr Jenkins was the most senior commander in charge of the police operation at the time of the telephone conversation.

But in a statement tendered to the inquest on Monday, the tactical commander, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said an emergency action plan should be the "last resort".

Pressed on Monday by counsel assisting the coroner, Jeremy Gormly, the officer agreed that an emergency action, which comes into force when there is imminent risk of death or serious injury is "inherently more risky" than a deliberate action.

The direct action plan would have been a proactive step to force entry at a time of the police's own choosing.

"In any action that we take there is an element of risk. However, a deliberate action would be a preferred option and potentially I might judge that when I weigh up my risk as being less risky," the tactical commander said.

Mr Gormly: "You're able to choose the time?"

Tactical commander: "And potentially a number of other methodology factors that we might be able to utilise."

Gormly: "If the EA is the last resort, a DA certainly is not, correct?"

Tactical commander: "That's correct."

Police stormed the cafe after Monis shot dead manager Mr Johnson at 2.13am.

Monis was killed by police, while hostage Katrina Dawson died after being hit by police bullet fragments.

The inquest continues.