Commissioner Mick Fuller has reaffirmed the commitment of the NSW Police Force to use all powers available to officers to enforce all COVID-19-related ministerial directions.
The Public Health Act 2010 (NSW) provides NSW Police with the power to enforce these orders. It is an offence for a person to fail to comply with an order, and severe penalties apply.
Police have and will continue to issue Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) to anyone found to be in contravention of a ministerial direction.
Some of the alleged incidents include:
Friday, April 3 – About 8.30pm, officers from Bankstown Police Area Command noticed a car double parked in Restwell Street, Bankstown. Officers pulled over the car and spoke to the 20-year-old female driver and her 21-year-old female passenger. The pair were unable to provide a valid reason for driving around. The passenger provided incorrect identification information to the police and become argumentative. She was issued with a PIN. The driver was issued with an official move on direction.
Saturday, April 4 – Just before 2pm, a 37-year-old man and his 35-year-old female passenger were stopped by Bankstown Police on Bransgrove Road, Revesby. The man submitted to a roadside drug test which proved positive. Police searched the car and located a knife as well as four envelopes in the names of other people. The man was arrested and taken to Bankstown Police Station where he charged with custody of a knife in a public place, and goods in custody. He was granted conditional bail to appear in Bankstown Local Court 22 July 2020. For not having a legitimate reason for being in public, the pair were also issued infringement notices.
Saturday, April 4 – 1.15am, officers from Bankstown Police Area Command pulled over a car after it had allegedly accelerated away after seeing police on Edgar Street, Bankstown. The 30-year-old driver was spoken to by police about his reason for driving. He was unable to provide a valid reason and changed his version several times and continued to be argumentative with police. He was issued with a
