Police have said they are pleased with the nationwide response from Kiwis to Alert Level 4 restrictions, although there have been almost 700 breaches already.
Police said Thursday afternoon that data and observations from staff show that the vast majority of Kiwis know what the rules are and are sticking to them.
Since online breach reporting began when the lockdown was enforced at 11:59pm on August 17 until 5pm on August 18, police had received 684 online breach notifications in total, of which almost a third were from the Auckland area.
Of those reports, 322 were about a gathering, 320 about a business and 42 about an individual.
In the same period, police have carried out over 2,500 tasks relating to Alert Level 4 restrictions, including reassurance visits to essential facilities, patrols, and checks following reports about people, businesses and gatherings potentially in breach.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said police will assess every notification received and follow up where required.
"Police will be taking an education-first approach around the new requirement to wear a face covering at essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies," Coster said.
"This means encouraging people to do the right thing for themselves, their loved ones and their community.
"However, enforcement action will be taken where necessary for the safety of everyone.
"We want to ensure people understand that all New Zealanders have a role to play in keeping each other safe, especially given the serious danger of the Delta variant."
Coster said repeated breaches or refusal to comply with Police will result in enforcement, either through infringement notices, or arrests and court action if necessary.
"This is not the first time we have faced tough COVID-19 restrictions, but thanks to the cooperation of the vast majority of New Zealanders since the beginning of the pandemic last year, the time we’ve spent under strict restriction has been limited.
"People should know what the rules are by now, and why it is so important to follow them, particularly when it comes to unlawful gatherings and repeated breaches of restrictions.
"Those in breach put the safety of all New Zealanders at risk, and they can expect that Police will act early and quickly to enforce compliance."
Coster also noted following a protest in Auckland yesterday, two men, aged 49 and 36, were due to appear in Auckland District Court today, each facing two charges under the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act 2020, and one charge under the Search and Surveillance Act 2021.
A 52-year-old woman also arrested is due to appear in Auckland District Court on 25 August facing one charge under the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act 2020, and one charge under the Search and Surveillance Act 2021.
Of the four people arrested during protest activity in Tauranga yesterday, three were issued with formal warnings while a 56-year-old woman is due to appear in Tauranga District Court on 23 August facing one charge under the Health Act 1956.
Slow down
Police are also asking Kiwis to slow down and avoid non-essential travel where possible after a busy day on Wellington's roads on Wednesday.
Wellington Central District Road Policing Manager Inspector Wade Jennings said on Thursday afternoon police issued 111 infringement notices on Wednesday alone for speeding.
“People should be isolating at home under Covid-19 Level 4 restrictions but if you need to drive, for essential purposes, slow down and drive to the conditions,” Jennings said.
“Don’t think because there are fewer vehicles on the road that you can speed. There is absolutely no excuse for speeding.”
Jennings noted one driver was travelling at 160km/h with several others caught speeding between 130km/h and145km/h.
“Even when speed doesn’t cause the crash, it is the single biggest determinant in whether you walk away or are carried away.
"A small change in speed makes a big difference to injury severity in a crash – for you and everyone else involved.”
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