NZ Police Commissioner, Andrew Coster, said today he was pleased with the public’s overall response to Alert Level 4 restrictions across the weekend.
“By and large New Zealanders continue to recognise the importance of these restrictions for the health and wellbeing of us all,” Commissioner Coster said.
“Now is not the time to throw caution to the wind or take unnecessary risks. Police will not tolerate behaviour that deliberately jeopardises everyone’s efforts to date.
“We all know the rules by now so the public can expect Police to move from education through to enforcement more quickly in these circumstances.”
Examples of Alert Level 4 breaches over the weekend included a report of poachers on farmland at Totora Flat in Grey District. Officers responded and located two men in a vehicle, one of whom admitted hunting.
Across Tāmaki Makaurau, Police at checkpoints observed reasonably low levels of traffic, however motorists were turned around for a range of reasons including exercising or shopping outside their neighbourhood and attempting to visit family or friends.
Other creative reasons for non-essential and long-distance travel around the country included needing to fix a shower, buying a puppy, delivering fish to a friend, getting “better quality meat”, and going for a Sunday drive.
Meanwhile in Wellington roving Police patrols yesterday turned around a number of motorists who travelled to Pauatahanui inlet to see a pod of visiting orca.
As of 5pm yesterday, 107 people have been charged with a total of 115 offences nationwide since Alert Level 4 restrictions began.
Of the charges filed, 75 are for Failing to Comply with Order (COVID-19), 26 for Failure to Comply with Direction/Prohibition/Restriction, 11 for Health Act Breaches, and three for Assaults/Threatens/Hinders/Obstructs Enforcement Officer.
In the same time period, 293 people were warned for 295 offences – 109 for Failing to Comply with Order (COVID-19), 101 for Failure to Comply with Direction/Prohibition/Restriction and 85 for Health Act Breaches.
