As of yesterday, police had recorded 677 recorded breaches and pursued 84 prosecutions and 582 warnings.
The level 4 lockdown was enforced as of midnight March 25, and police have been out in force this Easter weekend manning national highways checkpoints and questioning motorists about their destinations.
Since March 26, much has been made of police powers and discretion when it comes to what people can and cannot do under the lockdown rules.
Earlier this week, new Police Commissioner Andrew Coster - who marked a week in the top job yesterday - announced there would be checkpoints across the country over the long weekend.
The fear was that people would try to scarper to baches and holiday homes for an Easter "break".
Aside from the potential of spreading Covid-19 by travelling, there is the huge risk of crashes that would necessarily tie up already stretched emergency services and frontline hospital staff.
"We know many New Zealanders may have been planning to catch up with friends and family this weekend or travel to traditional holiday destinations but we urge anyone who was planning to do this - please change your plans and stay home," he said.
"To help ensure people know about the Health Act restrictions, police will be out and about checking that people are travelling for essential purposes only.
"It's simple - travelling to and from different towns and cities risks spreading Covid-19 and puts lives at risk."
As of today there were 1312 cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand.
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Comments
Enough already. When are we going to start fining these covidiots for violating the lockdown rules? The majority of us are doing the right thing but a small number think it's OK to do whatever they want. No excuses. Fine them
The rise of a stasi-covid police-state power mad group in our society needs to be shut down. Common sense isolation can be carried out without heavy handed policing. Police would be advised to ignore calls to become truncheon wielding brown shirts. People are not stupid, but the blunt trauma injury of top-down control freaks is.
While I hear what you are saying, the liberal approach had been implemented in the earlier stages. However, it became quite obvious many of those with so called 'common sense' refused to believe the current situation applied to them.
The flippant attitude of just a few jeopardises the entire purpose of the lockdown. Sometimes a heavy hand is the best guide, especially when the lives of others are at stake. Some people are only concerned for themselves, they're not interested in rules at anytime, even now, as we face a world changing event. I liken them to 'deserters', they paid with more than a wee fine.
Well said, the current situation means that the majority of us have much to lose by the behavior of a few selfish idiots and we cannot afford to to turn a blind eye.
In the absence of common sense in the vast majority of society, and the inconsiderate selfishness of so many people, lock down laws are essential. As people start calling for relaxation of these laws I ask them to consider that ending the laws one minute too early will mean doing it all again and for longer. The lockdown and the economic pain will be shorter and less if we keep the lockdown in place for two weeks too long, than if we end it even one minute too early.