Dropping alert levels doesn’t mean dropping the ball.
That’s the message from Police as Tāmaki Makaurau moved into Alert level 3 restrictions today.
Police will continue to remain visible across the community conducting reassurance patrols and ensuring there is compliance with the requirements under Alert level 3.
Aucklanders are reminded that travel is still restricted at Alert level 3 and should be for reasons such as accessing permitted services and heading out for exercise.
Please remember to keep it local. If you are exercising outside, make sure you maintain physical distance from those outside of your bubble.
Now is not the time to be bursting your bubbles and socialising in person. It is important people stick to these bubbles and work from home, where possible.
Some additional retailers can reopen with restrictions in place to keep workers and customers safe.
Aucklanders going to collect takeaways and to other businesses are reminded to wear a face covering and to be patient if they experience a wait to pick up their items.
The vast majority of people have continued to do the right thing during this outbreak of Covid-19 and we ask that this continues.
More information about the restrictions under Alert level 3 can be found on the Covid-19 website.
High volume of traffic at border checkpoints:
Police are reminding motorists in Auckland that travel remains heavily restricted under Alert Level 3.
Since this morning, Police at the checkpoints have turned away a much higher volume of vehicles than in previous days that were attempting to travel through the checkpoints and did not carry evidence of permitted travel.
While Auckland remains under Alert Level 3, travel through the border checkpoints remains strictly limited and is only for permitted personal or work reasons.
If you do not provide the required evidence or documentation to prove you are travelling for permitted purposes, you are likely to be turned away.
The preferred type of evidence for permitted workers is a Business Travel Document issued by MBIE.
Information about the requirements for permitted travel across an Alert Level Boundary is here: https://covid19.govt.nz/travel/permitted-travel-at-different-alert-level...
Checkpoint figures:
As of 11.59pm yesterday, a total of 213,223 vehicles have now been stopped at the 10 checkpoints on Auckland’s northern and southern boundaries since 11.59pm on 31 August.
A total of 2,626 vehicles have been turned around during this time.
17,030 vehicles were processed at the checkpoints yesterday while only 194 vehicles were turned around.
A total of 61 vehicles were turned away at the Northern checkpoints yesterday while 133 vehicles were turned around at the Southern checkpoints.
As at 11.59pm September 21, 4350 heavy vehicles have been stopped and 217 of them have been turned around attempting to leave Tāmaki Makaurau.
45 of those vehicles were turned around yesterday.
Tāmaki Makaurau compliance update:
Since Alert Level 4 came into place, in Tāmaki Makaurau 92 people have been charged with a total of 96 offences as at 5pm yesterday (21 September 2021).
Of these, 79 are for Failing to Comply with Order (COVID-19), 14 for Failure to Comply with Direction/Prohibition/Restriction, one for Failing to Stop (Covid 19-related), and two for Assaults/Threatens/Hinders/Obstructs Enforcement Officer.
In the same time period, 191 people were formally warned for a range of offences.
To date, Police have received a total of 10,237 105-online breach notifications relating to businesses, mass gatherings or people in Tāmaki Makaurau.
ENDS
Jarred Williamson/NZ Police