Please attribute to Commissioner Andrew Coster:
More than 60 additional Police officers from around the country will be deployed to assist their Tāmaki Makaurau colleagues at checkpoints on the region's boundary.
This boost in support ensures Police have sufficient resource to service regular operational demands and maintain a strong focus on Alert Level 4 compliance in Tāmaki Makaurau.
It also means staff currently working on checkpoints get a well-earned break.
This support will be brought in later this week from around the country and will consist of 34 staff who have volunteered for the deployment duty. These staff will be rotated out for an additional 34 staff at the completion of a set of shifts.
Staff will be working and accommodated in the Waikato region, under Alert level 2, and won't be required to cross into the Alert level 4 region.
We want to acknowledge our hard working staff who are currently operating our checkpoints in what can, at times, be unforgiving weather conditions.
They are doing a fantastic job helping to keep our community safe and helping prevent the spread of Covid19 to other parts of the country.
Alert level shift:
Police are continuing to operate 10 checkpoints around Auckland’s northern and southern boundaries with the rest of the country having moved to Alert Level 2 from midnight.
Tāmaki Makaurau remains at Alert Level 4 and travel across an alert level boundary is restricted.
The change in alert level settings has not seen a significant increase in traffic volumes and compliance with the restrictions on travel through the border has been good.
There has been a few motorists who have attempted to travel through the checkpoints from Alert Level 2 regions who were turned around as they weren’t aware that travel restrictions remained.
We want to remind motorists that transiting through an alert level 4 boundary will only be allowed for permitted personal or work reasons.
The details of these permitted reasons are listed on the covd19 website and motorists should carry the relevant evidence that you are permitted to cross the boundary.
If your reason for personal travel is not listed in the permitted travel requirements listed, you will need to apply for an exemption from the Ministry of Health’s website.
Police will continue to be questioning motorists travelling in and out of these checkpoints and they will be turned around if they don’t supply the relevant evidence for permitted travel or an exemption notice.
Compliance:
Police has updated the data collection method for vehicles travelling through the checkpoints.
In the 48 hour period from midnight 6th September to 11.59pm 7th September, 28,316 vehicles were stopped at the checkpoints.
Of those, 274 vehicles have been turned around, which is less than 1 percent of vehicle traffic during this period.
144 vehicles were turned around at the northern checkpoints and 130 vehicles were turned around at the southern checkpoints.
This shows that compliance has been extremely high and that motorists are carrying the evidence required to demonstrate their proof of travel.
This morning, a vehicle failed to stop for Police and drove through the Southern boundary checkpoint at Mercer.
The vehicle was observed by Eagle as it headed north before stopping at a Kelston address.
Police have arrived at the address to locate the male driver.
He has allegedly assaulted two of our officers.
A number of people at the address came out and began obstructing and being assaultive to Police.
Two officers required treatment for injuries.
A 27-year-old will due to appear in the Waitākere District Court this afternoon on a number of charges, including failing to stop, aggravated assault x3 and driving while suspended.
A 60-year-old female has been summonsed to appear in the Waitākere District Court on 20th October on charges of assaults Police and Obstructing Police.
A third person will be referred to the Iwi Community panels.
Checking motorists for Covid-19 tests:
The government is introducing a requirement for workers who need to cross Alert Level boundaries to work at a permitted business, to get tested.
Details of this requirement is found on the Covid19 website: https://covid19.govt.nz/travel/permitted-travel-at-different-alert-levels/business-travel-across-an-alert-level-boundary/#testing-of-workers-when-crossing-alert-level-boundaries
From 11.59pm on 16th September, workers crossing the Alert Level boundary must carry evidence that they have had a Covid19 test.
Police will be adopting an educational approach and will be speaking with motorists around the latest obligations under the Alert Level Order.
From 11.59pm on 16th September, Police will be spot checking vehicles and will turn around people at the checkpoints who do not have evidence of having a Covid19 test.
Everyone coming through the checkpoint from this date should expect to be asked for evidence of having had a test in the past 7 days.
Motorists will still be required to carry evidence of their permitted reason for travel or show the appropriate exemption, as outlined on the Covid19 website.
Note for editors – media opportunity:
Police are finalising plans for a media opportunity later this week around the arrival of additional Police staff.
Further details will be provided to media once these are confirmed.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre