Category: New Zealand Police

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Southland Police are reminding heavy motor vehicle drivers of the importance of road safety as the country makes its way towards winter.

“There have already been a couple of crashes involving trucks and I want to remind drivers to manage their fatigue and drive to the conditions for this time of year, particularly in early morning,” says Senior Sergeant Scott Mackenzie, Southland Road Policing Manager.

Colder months bring more dangers to the country’s roads.

“In winter the sun sits lower in the sky and sun strike becomes a more common occurrence. Surface conditions, particularly on rural roads become less predictable, and slow-moving tractors and silage wagons are more prevalent at this time of year,” he says.

“All of this makes it even more important to practice appropriate following distances.

“I’m asking drivers to make sure they are getting a good night’s sleep, taking regular breaks, checking their speed, and wearing their seatbelts.”

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Team.

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Police are appealing for information following a suspicious car fire in Bluff on Sunday 4 May.

About 3.40pm, a Ford Courier ute was set alight while it was parked on Marine Parade. The vehicle suffered substantial damage.

Senior Constable Pete Jenkins says a man carrying a red petrol can was seen running away from the vehicle after it was set on fire.

“This person was last seen running south on Henderson Street, where he was picked up in a dark-coloured vehicle.

“We want to talk to this man, and also need to hear from anyone who has information that could help our enquiries. If you saw suspicious activity in the Marine Parade area on Sunday, please contact us.”

Information can be reported to Police online, or by calling 105. Please use the reference number 250504/8027.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

State Highway 2 is blocked at Waiotahe, west of Ōpōtiki, due to a serious crash.

It happened at the intersection with Baird Road about 5:35am, and involved two vehicles.

Indications are that one person is seriously injured.

Diversions are in place and motorists are asked to delay travel if possible.

ENDS

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Motorists should expect delays on parts of the Auckland motorway network this morning.

Emergency services are responding to a two-truck collision on the Northern Motorway, near the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Southbound traffic is being impacted this morning, with some lanes closed while the scene is cleared.

Fortunately no injuries have been reported.

Crews will work as quickly as possible to clear the scene, however motorists should expect delays on their commute this morning.

This is in addition to an earlier serious crash this morning further south, on the South-Western Motorway near Onehunga.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Emergency services are at the scene of a serious single-vehicle crash on the Southwestern Motorway, northbound, between the Onehunga Harbour Rd on-ramp and the Queenstown Rd off-ramp.

Traffic management is in place. 

Motorists should avoid the area or expect delays. 

ENDS 

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Phase Two of the Police Mental Health Response Change Programme is set to be extended with a second group of districts implementing Phase Two from 19 May.

The tranche two districts have been jointly assessed for their readiness and the multi-agency Mental Health Response Change Programme Governance Group has endorsed their implementation.

Included in this second tranche will be:

• Police districts Auckland City, Canterbury, Kaikōura as part of Tasman, Wellington, Bay of Plenty (excluding Tokoroa and Taupo), Eastern (excluding Wairoa), and Southern (excluding Waitaki and Central Lakes), and
• Health NZ districts Auckland, Canterbury, South Canterbury, Capital Coast & Hutt Vally, Wairarapa, Bay of Plenty, Lakes (excluding Taupo), Hawke’s Bay (excluding Wairoa), Tairāwhiti, and Southern (excluding Waitaki and Southern Lakes).

Police and Health NZ will continue to work closely with these teams and districts to support their preparation and implementation for the changes and will continue work with remaining districts to get them ready to start Phase Two.

The agencies anticipate tranche three districts will implement Phase Two changes on 16 June, pending final readiness assessments and governance group endorsement.

Police Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson says we remain committed to our joint efforts towards a system that supports mental wellbeing and gives people access to the best help that works for them.

“Safety is always Police’s number one priority.  Police have always, and will always, respond when there is an immediate risk to life or safety.  This will not change.

Outside of an emergency, Police have a threshold for what mental health related work sits with police and what doesn’t.

“This supports us all to clarify roles and responses, ensuring Police are only involved where it’s appropriate. That means where there is an offence identified (that we would attend through normal prioritisation) or where there is an immediate risk to life or safety,” says Assistant Commissioner Johnson.”

Health NZ Director of Specialist Mental Health and Addiction Karla Bergquist says agencies are committed to getting it right and have been working together to ensure the changes are well implemented.

“The safety and well-being of patients and our staff is paramount as we work to ensure people requiring mental health support receive the right care at the right time.

“We have adopted a staged approach and extended our timeframes for Phase Two, introducing it in a planned and safe way. As part of this planning work, we have developed new procedures with clinical input and created training materials for staff to support them through this change.

“We are focussed on continuous improvement and will keep listening to feedback from our teams and stakeholders and take a joint approach to review learnings as we go.”

“We’d like to assure the public that as always, there is a range of services to help people in serious mental distress or those who are concerned about whānau. You can free call or text 1737 , contact your local crisis assessment team or in a life-threatening situation, call 111.”

Phase One of the joint agency approach commenced on 4 November 2024, and Phase Two roll-out commenced in some districts on 14 April 2025. The changes will see an increased health-led response, enabling Police more time to do the work that only Police can, which the community expects them to do.

ENDS

Notes to media:

Contact numbers for local crisis assessment teams are available online at: https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/services-and-support/health-care-…

Phase Two of the mental health response changes began on 14 April in Police districts Waitematā, Counties Manukau, Waikato, and Tasman (excluding Kaikoura) and Health NZ districts Waitematā, Counties Manukau, Waikato (excluding Tokoroa and Taumarunui), Nelson-Marlborough, and West Coast.

The Phase Two changes remain the same and include:

• 60-minute handover detained persons in EDs – Police who have detained a person under the MH Act and transported them for an assessment will remain in the ED for a maximum one hour before departing, unless they consider there is an immediate risk to life or safety.
• Changes to mental health assessments in custody – If someone is placed under the MH Act while in a Police custody suite, they will need to be taken to a health facility within 30 minutes. Custody rules will ensure people in distress are assessed appropriately, preferably in a health setting.

NZ Police and Health NZ districts are not the same (Police has 12, Health has 20), so there are some parts of a Police district which are not included in the comparable Health NZ district or vice versa.

Police media contact: media@police.govt.nz

Health NZ media contact: hnzmedia@tewhatuora.govt.nz

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding a fire at McDonalds in Pakuranga.

Emergency services attended the fire on Pakuranga Road just before 3pm on 5 May.

The fast food restaurant has sustained significant fire damage as a result.

Detective Senior Sergeant Michele Gillespie, of Counties Manukau CIB, says a scene guard has been in place at the restaurant overnight.

“At this point in time we are treating this fire as a suspected arson,” she says.

“A scene examination is being conducted this morning and Police will work alongside a fire investigator.

“As part of these enquiries we will be working to understand how the fire originated.”

Detective Senior Sergeant Gillespie says Police would like to hear from anyone who saw suspicious activity prior to the fire.

If you have information to assist enquiries, please contact Police on 105 using the reference number 250505/2106.

Information can be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Police can confirm one person has died following a crash on the South-Western Motorway this morning.

The single vehicle crash was reported just before 5am, on northbound lanes near Onehunga.

Sadly, the sole occupant of this vehicle died at the scene.

Earlier closures of northbound lanes have now lifted, and Police advise motorists to continue to expect delays as earlier backlogs clear.

We appreciate motorists’ understanding this morning while emergency services carried out their work.

The Serious Crash Unit examined the scene this morning, and an investigation is underway into this morning’s crash on behalf of the Coroner.

ENDS

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Attribute to Detective Inspector Stu Harvey:

Police are asking for information from the public after a series of incidents in Invercargill overnight, including two aggravated robberies.

Officers were called to a Dee Street premises about 2.30am on Monday 5 May, after a report of two people entering the store and assaulting the worker, demanding cash. They then fled the scene in a vehicle.

The worker was not seriously injured, however they were very shaken by what occurred.

An attempted burglary and two burglaries were subsequently reported at three further premises, on Windsor Street, Elles Road and Yarrow Street.

Then, about 4.20am, Police received a report that two people had entered a Tay Street premises and demanded cash and items. Fortunately, no one was hurt during the incident.

Police are making enquiries into each incident, and at this stage our information suggests they are linked.

Two vehicles were seen in the vicinity of some of the incidents. One of them, a red Toyota Vitz, has been involved in the offending. Police have recovered this vehicle, which was stolen the previous day.

The other vehicle is described as a dark-coloured car.

We would like to speak to anyone who saw vehicles fitting these descriptions between 1am and 5am.

Anyone with information about these vehicles or those involved is asked to contact Police via 105. Please use the reference number 250505/9732.

You can also share information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Pakuranga Road has reopened in both directions following an earlier building fire.

Investigations into the cause of the fire at the McDonalds are underway.

Police would like to thank the public for their patience while the fire was extinguished.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police