Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police is welcoming the largely smooth transition into Alert Level 2, with districts reporting a quiet first day of COVID-19 related breaches.
For the first 18 hours (as at 6pm 14 May), there were three breaches of Alert Level 2, all of which resulted in a warning.
Districts reported a very quiet first night with only a handful of visits required to remind people and businesses of the requirements under the new alert level.
This weekend, as people and businesses enjoy more movement and activity, Police will continue to apply an education-led approach to enforcement of Alert Level 2 restrictions.
While Police notes powers provided in legislation for the enforcement of COVID-19-related restrictions allow us to do our job to the keep the community safe, our priority is to continue with our engagement, encouragement and education approach to achieve voluntary compliance as we have done throughout each alert level.
We fully expect there will be an adjustment period, as there was with previous changes in alert levels, but we also know that the public is very quick to work out what is expected of them.
Police will continue to work with other Government agencies and community groups to support education and enforce restrictions as services, businesses, schools and recreational activities come back online. Our focus remains on supporting the All of Government response to the COVID-19 crisis and keeping our communities safe.
Alert Level 2 restrictions still require everyone to play their part by maintaining physical distancing, not holding mass gatherings and always following good hygiene practices. For businesses, their focus needs to be on hygiene and cleaning, appropriate distancing and contact tracing systems.
With the move to Alert Level 2, Police have issued updated operational guidelines, which are available on our website.
Over the past seven weeks, Police completed tens of thousands of reassurance patrols and visits to essential services and our high visibility patrols will continue throughout the transition.
During Alert Level 3 Police took enforcement action on 1231 occasions in relation to breaches of either the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act or the Health Act.
Of these 1231 breaches there have been 295 prosecutions, 850 warnings and 86 youth referrals.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
