Further details on Police checkpoints in Northland

7 Dec 2021

Northland District Commander Superintendent Tony Hill

Northland Police are now in a position to release further details around planned Police checkpoints in partnership with Iwi to come into effect when the borders around Tāmaki Makaurau are lifted on 15 December.

Following discussions with local iwi and community, Police will set up and manage two short-term controlled checkpoints south of Whangārei once the northern boundary is disbanded.

These checkpoints will be located on State Highway 1 at Uretiti and the second on State Highway 12 near Maungaturoto and will focus on northbound traffic only.

Police will be very mindful of traffic flows, but the public can expect they may be stopped and spoken to by Police to ensure they are abiding by the requirements of the Public Health Order.

This means travellers into the region will need to show proof of vaccination status or a negative COVID-19 test.

The rules around this are on the COVID-19 website for travel at the Red and Orange settings under the Covid-19 Protection Framework.

These checkpoints will operate 24/7 short term, Police will then move to a new model which will involve having random checkpoints and spot checks across the District to check that people are continuing to comply with the travel restrictions.

In total, Police will have 74 staff working on a roster to operate the checkpoints on a 24/7 basis.

The staff for these checkpoints will come from both Northland and other Police Districts.

As we have done previously with the existing Auckland borders, we are able to deploy staff from other districts to support this work.

This ensures we can meet other demands on police as we do for all popular holiday spots during the summer months.

Police will be stopping the vehicles, and Tai Tokerau Border Control will be assisting us to check vaccine passes and or proof of a negative COVID19 test, to ensure as smooth and quick as possible a process through the checkpoints.  We are mindful that traffic through this region is normally busy at this time of year and motorists will know they need to plan their trip and be prepared.

The checkpoints will not be stopping every car and will not hold up traffic unnecessarily or impede essential travel but travellers should be prepared and expect to be stopped.

Police are looking forward to welcoming visitors to Northland safely and in a way that will help protect vulnerable communities.

---