14 Apr 2020

Coronavirus: Police Commissioner on Easter weekend enforcement

From Morning Report, 7:27 am on 14 April 2020

The Easter holiday road toll ended at zero for the first time since 2012, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster told Morning Report.

The number of fatalities from crashes during last year's Easter holiday road toll was three, with seven people killed in the previous year.

More than 500 road checkpoints were set up around the country over the weekend to enforce lockdown rules with more than 800 people breaching those rules, Coster said that resulted in nearly 100 prosecutions.

Police checkpoint on SH1 in Warkworth, north of Auckland

 A police checkpoint on SH1 in Warkworth, north of Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Matthew Theunissen

Coster said most of those being taken to court had been warned before about breaking the rules but had done so again.

He said officers were stepping up their enforcement of the lockdown, because people should know by now what the rules were.

He said the vast majority of people were complying, but a few had to be turned back.

Police also carried out 2005 "reassurance checks" at supermarkets, pharmacies and petrol stations over Easter.

  • If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP - don't show up at a medical centre