To be attributed to Assistant Commissioner Paul Basham:
Police are continuing to take enforcement action around the country in response to breaches of the Gang Act.
While it is early days, Police are encouraged by good levels of compliance with the new law overall - for example, in Whakatāne over the weekend, Manga Kahu members attending a hui chose to not wear their patches or display any insignia or regalia. As a result, Police were not required to undertake any enforcement in relation to breaches of the Gangs Act.
And in Manurewa last night, emergency services responded to an incident where a dirt bike had collided with a car at around 7.20pm. The dirt bike rider, a gang associate, left the scene prior to Police arrival. He was located at the hospital a short time later, accompanied by a patched Killer Beez member. That man had been wearing a t-shirt showing Killer Beez insignia but had covered it up when entering the hospital. After speaking with Police, the man voluntarily surrendered the t-shirt to officers and no further enforcement action was required.
However, some gang associates and members are very much not making the right choices - being caught in breach of the new law, while also committing other criminal offending.
A 39-year-old Christchurch man will be appearing in Christchurch District Court on 28 November, charged with displaying gang insignia in public. The arrest followed Police being called to a family harm-related incident on Marine Parade, New Brighton at 3.15pm yesterday. The man was wearing a Killer Beez t-shirt, which was seized. He has also been issued a PSO in relation to the family harm-related incident.
And at 6.35pm yesterday, Gisborne Police responded to reports of a car being driven erratically on Lytton Road in Elgin. The car was located in a nearby carpark and the driver was identified as a patched Mangu Kaha member, who had earlier been observed wearing Mangu Kaha trousers in Whakatāne. The 27-year-old man was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, possession of an offensive weapon, and displaying gang insignia in public. He is scheduled to appear in Gisborne District Court today.
Police are also continuing to demonstrate that follow-up enquiries will be undertaken where we can't immediately respond to breaches of the new law.
This morning, Police charged the 61-year-old president of the Head Hunters West chapter with displaying gang insignia in public. He is scheduled to appear in Waitakere District Court on Friday (29 November).
This charge follows the president being identified as one of five motorcyclists wearing Head Hunters West patches in the Wellsford area at around 1.20am on 21 November.
The president was the second man to be charged in relation to this breach of the law, and his patch and motorcycle had already been seized by Police during a search warrant at the Head Hunters West pad on Friday (22 November).
Work is ongoing to identify the remaining three motorcyclists.
