Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police are urging the public to stay the course and resist the temptation to breach Alert Level restrictions in the warmer weather.
In Auckland at the weekend, there were some instances where Police found people were in groups at places like playgrounds and skateparks.
Police urge people to stick to their bubbles and maintain physical distancing from others outside their bubble when out exercising.
If you are leaving your home to exercise, please ensure it is in your local area. For those who are moving about for essential purposes, remember to wear a face covering and to scan or sign in.
Playgrounds and other such facilities are closed at higher alert levels for everyone’s safety.
In the Waikato district, Police, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Raglan Coastguard were called in to rescue a man who fell into water while fishing off rocks at Papanui Point near Ruapuke, around 3.45pm on Sunday.
The man, who was from outside the area, was able to swim to a nearby rock where another member of the public contacted emergency services, and he was winched to safety.
Enforcement action is being considered in this case, but it serves as a reminder to the public about the reason why restrictions are in place.
These activities have easily preventable risks associated with them for the person and emergency services required to respond.
Under Alert level 3, fishing is only permitted from the shoreline or a wharf. Fishing from rocks or from a boat is not permitted.
For Aucklanders, no water-based activities are not permitted while under Alert level 4.
Update on checkpoints:
Police are noticing some motorists travelling at high speeds near the sites of the regional checkpoints in Auckland.
Temporary speed limits are in place for the safety of road users, as well as our Police staff operating these checkpoints.
The approach to each checkpoint has a temporary speed limit of 60km/h which then reduces to 30km/h ahead of the checkpoint sites.
Police have been detecting some people going through these zones travelling in excess of 100km/h, which poses considerable risk to the person’s safety and the safety of those around them.
We want to remind road users to slow down and follow the temporary speed limits in place near these checkpoint sites to keep everyone safe.
Enforcement action may be taken for those motorists found travelling in excess of the speed limits in place.
As of 3.30pm yesterday, a total of 21,474 vehicles have now been stopped at the ten checkpoints on Auckland’s northern and southern boundaries.
Overall, between 11.59pm on 31 August and 3.30pm on 5 September, 19,319 vehicles have been stopped at the five southern checkpoints. Out of these, a total of 715 were turned away for non-essential travel.
Forty two vehicles were turned around at the southern checkpoints on 5 September.
At the five northern checkpoints, which have been in place since Northland dropped to Alert Level 3 at 11:59pm on 2 September, there has been relatively low traffic numbers.
Between 11.59pm on 2 September and 3:30pm on 5 September, 2,155 vehicles have been stopped at the northern checkpoints and of those, just 120 vehicles were turned away for non-essential travel.
This remains around four percent of all motorists.
Thirty two vehicles were turned around at the northern checkpoints on 5 September.
The Southbound checkpoint at State Highway 1/Mercer off ramp continues to be the checkpoint with the most vehicles being turned around. So far, 279 vehicles have been turned away at that checkpoint.
Elsewhere, 191 vehicles have been turned around at the Mangatawhiri Rd / Koheroa Rd / SH2 off ramp checkpoint.
Compliance updates:
Since Alert Level 4 came into place, 186 people have been charged with a total of 197 offences nationwide as at 5pm yesterday (5 September 2021).
Of the charges filed, 188 were for offences committed in Alert Level 4 and nine were for offences committed in Alert Level 3.
Of these, 135 are for Failing to Comply with Order (COVID-19), 39 for Failure to Comply with Direction/Prohibition/Restriction, 18 for Health Act Breaches, and five for Assaults/Threatens/Hinders/Obstructs Enforcement Officer.
In the same time period, 486 people were warned for 489 offences.
Of the formal warnings 208 were for Failing to Comply with Order (COVID-19), 154 for Failure to Comply with Direction/Prohibition/Restriction, 126 for Health Act Breaches, and one for Assaults/Threatens/Hinders/Obstructs Enforcement Officer.
Since 19 August 2021, Police have been issuing infringements for COVID-19 related breaches
As at 5pm on 5 September 2021, Police have issued 3,568 infringements nationwide.
Of these, 2,914 were issued under the previous Health Order, primarily for Person failed to remain at current home/residence other than for essential personal movement.
Since the new Health Order came into force on 1 September, 654 infringements have been issued as follows:
· Left home / residence other than for essential personal movement (AL4) – 361
· Left home / residence other than for essential personal movement (AL3) – 220
· Other breaches under the new Health Order – 73
Police have now received a total of 17,183 105-online breach notifications:
• 10,600 were about a gathering
• 4,921 were about a business
• 1,662 were about a person
In addition to the online breach notifications, a total of 10,805 Covid-19 related calls were made to the 105-phone line.
The majority (7,741) of calls were requests for information, and 3,064 were to report perceived Covid-19 breaches.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
