Twelve people have been charged for breaching Covid-19 restrictions since the start of the latest alert level 4 lockdown
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Police say the charges were mostly in relation to protests. In addition, 20 formal warnings have also been issued for breaching the rules.
But those numbers were small in comparison to complaints received.
Commissioner Andrew Coster said between midnight on 17 August and 5pm 19 August, police received 1869 online breach notifications.
"Six hundred and seven of those reports are from Tāmaki Makaurau. Of those reports, 984 were about a gathering, 742 about a business and 143 about an individual," Coster said.
"In Tāmaki Makaurau today police have been carrying out random pop-up checkpoints to ensure compliance with restrictions.
"The public will continue to see a visible police presence in the Rodney area between Auckland and Northland, with officers actively stopping vehicles to ensure motorists have a legitimate reason for movement through the region."
Coster said with the weekend approaching, people should remember non-essential travel or activity was not permitted.
"For the safety of our communities it is absolutely vital that everyone continues to adhere to the restrictions in place. That means exercise should be in your neighbourhood only and any recreational activity that could lead to a rescue or emergency response is not permitted.
"That includes, but is not limited to, activities such as surfing, snowboarding, tramping, fishing and whitebaiting. Should you run into trouble with weather or injury and require help, you immediately put others in danger. Don't be the person who sparks an emergency call out, when you shouldn't be out in the first place."
Police would take an education-first approach to the restrictions, however, "quick and decisive enforcement action will be taken where necessary", Coster said.
The majority of New Zealanders continue to do the right thing, he said.
Meanwhile, two people arrested in anti-lockdown protests in Christchurch were denied bail when they appeared in Christchurch District Court today.
Police arrested three people in central Christchurch yesterday on breaching the lockdown restrictions.
Kyle Chapman, 50, Adam Nuttall, 46 and a 56-year-old woman appeared in court today for failing to comply with the Covid-19 lockdown.
Chapman, who used to lead white-nationalist group the National Front and Nuttall were denied bail and are due to reappear next week.
