Police Minister Mark Mitchell Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
A Mongrel Mob member has been charged for displaying a gang sign on the dashboard of his car overnight.
The new gang patch law came into force at midnight. The first person under the ban was caught at 12.03am on Thursday.
Police said a Napier man, who was 51, had been issued with a summons to appear in court after officers spotted a large Mongrel Mob sign on the dashboard of his car in Hastings.
The sign was confiscated.
Read more:
- What is a gang patch and what happens now they're banned?
- 'Subtle adaptations' of gang insignia already being seen
- Gang patch ban: 'Some of them will probably die for it'
New Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said the charging of a man overnight went "fine".
Chambers was announced for the top job on Wednesday, and starts on Monday.
He told Morning Report there were no other incidents under the new legislation that he knew about.
"Obviously, as time goes on, I would expect there to be more."
When officers pulled over the car in Hastings, the man was not wearing a patch, Chambers said. But he said the man did have the sign on his dashboard which was against the new law.
It was handled "fine, very professional, no issues at all," Chambers said.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell told Morning Report gang members, he believed from the Mongrel Mob, came out to test the law.
"Coming out and trying to be defiant at midnight with a display of gang patch insignia and action was taken."
Mitchell was adamant the law would make the public and police officers safer.
He said people criticising the law were "gang apologists".
Mitchell believed similar laws were working in Australia.
"We are going to start using enforcement to clamp down on gangs and make it much more difficult to be a violent gang member in this country."
Officers in support
Police officers support the new law banning gang patches, which came into force today, their union says.
A new gang patch ban, as well as dispersal and non-consorting laws, took effect Thursday.
People caught displaying gang insignia in public from today will be liable for a $5000 fine or up to six months imprisonment.
Police Association vice president Steve Watt told Morning Report an education and engagement programme with gangs had begun last month.
"We're reasonably confident the police have got the resources in place, the process in place.
"We are backing this legislation and ready to enforce it," Watt said.
Officers supported anything that would disrupt gangs, he said.
And he believed the legislation would make New Zealanders feel, and be, safer.
'Theatrics' from the government
Labour deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni told First Up the ban would not result in less gang members.
"Fundamentally it's not going to change the situation with regards to gangs, so I think this is all just theatrics from the government trying to look tough on crime, the reality is it won't affect the reasons why people get into gangs."
She saw some people with gang patches at the hīkoi on Tuesday and wondered what police would have done in that situation.
"It could have been really harmful for everyone."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
