Queenstown Police were “extremely disappointed” on Friday after one of around 50 mountain bikers on a track was injured, with several police and ambulance staff taking part in moving the female rider over two hours.
Due to where the crash happened at a mountain bike park in Fernhill, a 4WD, as well as police and paramedics were required to remove her, before she was transported to Dunedin Hospital via helicopter.
Officers estimated there were 50 or more mountain bikers on this track after being called to the incident.
Police will be speaking to the biker at a later date and enforcement action for breaching restrictions will be considered.
The other mountain bikers on the track were educated on Alert Level Four rules, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said in a statement on Saturday.
“We would like to remind people that under Alert Level Four exercise should be in your neighbourhood only and any recreational activity that could lead to a rescue or emergency response is not permitted,” he said.
“While police are still taking an education-first approach, as our responses show, we will move to enforcement action quickly when required.”
Coster also said Counties Manukau Road Policing staff have been visible in the southern part of the district ahead of everywhere south of the Auckland border moving to Alert Level 3 on Tuesday at midnight. Auckland and Northland will remain at Alert Level 4.
Officers noted low volumes of traffic Saturday morning and high levels of compliance, Coster said.
Compliance data update
Ninety-three people have been charged with a total of 99 offences nationwide to 5pm Friday since Alert Level 4 came into place.
These arrests are primarily the result of protest activity in the first few days of Alert Level 4 and other intentional behaviour in breach of the restrictions.
Of the 99 charges filed, 65 are for Failing to Comply with Order (Covid-19), 21 for Failure to Comply with Direction/Prohibition/Restriction, and 11 for Health Act Breaches. Two are for Assaults/Threatens/Hinders/Obstructs Enforcement Officer.
In the same time period, 256 formal warnings were issued – 87 of the formal warnings were for Failing to Comply with Order (Covid-19), 104 for Failure to Comply with Direction/Prohibition/Restriction and 68 for Health Act Breaches.
Since 19 August 2021, Police have been issuing infringements for COVID-19 related breaches.
As at 5pm on 27 August 2021, Police have issued 1594 infringements nationwide.
• Person failed to remain at current home / residence – 1465
• Person failed to wear a face covering on premises – 41
• Person failed to comply with applicable physical distancing rule – 55
• Obstruct/Hinder Medical Officer of Health or Person Assisting Med Officer/Failing to Comply with Order (COVID-19) – 16
• Person failed to wear a face covering on public transport – 4
• Person in control of premises failed to close as required – 2
• Person in control of workplace failed to display QR code – 6
• Person organised a gathering in an outdoor place - 5
In the last day, police received 864 105-online breach notifications, taking the total since restrictions came into place to 11,103.
Of those 6753 were about a gathering, 3305 were about a business, and 1045 were about a person.
In the last day, 483 Covid-19 related calls were also made to the 105-phone line, taking the total calls to 7097.
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