Police Snippets

20 Sep, 2021

Crime down overall
Local police have been busy since August 18, monitoring Kaipara’s borders along with their Auckland and Northland colleagues, and Sergeant Rainer Coetzee, who oversees Wellsford and east Kaipara, reports that there has been mainly ‘excellent compliance’ from locals complying with Health Order rules.

“As always, there is a small percentage of people who choose not to, but in all these incidents we will educate before opting for enforcement as in a fine or arrest,” he says.

“However, several infringements have been issued to a small portion of individuals across our area for breaching the Health Order who chose not to adhere after being educated.”

At time of print, 16,071 vehicles have been stopped at the five checkpoints on Kaipara’s southern border since Northland moved into Level 3 on September 2, and a smallish number of 263 were turned away for non-essential travel.

Locals have also reported police stationed at the checkpoints are being mindful of residents who live on the Auckland side of the southern borderlands, and allowing them access into Mangawhai.

Crime overall ‘is right down’ through Mangawhai, Kaiwaka and Wellsford ‘which is to be expected with lockdown and everyone being home’.

Although Auckland support services are reporting a spike in family harm, Coetzee says there has not been a noticeable increase in incident numbers in east Kaipara and Wellsford during the recent lockdown.

“Which is good to see, however we are also not blind to the fact that unreported incidents may still be happening, particularly given these stressful times and the drawn-out lockdown.”

Meth arrests
The fight on methamphetamine is ongoing Cootzee says and describes it as ‘an ever-changing landscape’. Police have made a couple of arrests in recent weeks however, ‘which will no doubt disrupt those involved and hold them too account’. Although meth addiction is also considered a mental health issue, this is not a defence for breaking the law Coetzee says, and the decision to charge users is always done on a case-by-case basis.

- REPORTING/JULIA WADE