The NSW Police have launched Operation STAY AT HOME to significantly boost public health order enforcement across the State.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, David Elliott said the Operation would utilise resources from all Police Districts and Police Area Commands under Metropolitan and Regional NSW Field Operations, alongside officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol Command; Police Transport Command; Dog and Mounted Unit; and a number of other specialist commands as required.
“Significantly, 1,400 officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol Command will be dedicated to both static and mobile COVID-19 compliance operations on the State’s roads,” Mr Elliott said.
“A further 500 Australian Defence Force troops, in addition to the 300 already deployed, will assist with compliance checks and patrols,” he said.
Mr Elliott said the only way out of the current COVID-19 crisis was for people to support each other and support the police-led compliance Operation.
Deputy Commissioner of Metropolitan Field Operations for the NSW Police Force, Mal Lanyon said the Operation would see more police on the ground across Greater Sydney, utilising some of the strongest powers ever given to police.
“The level of non-compliance by some members of the community is unacceptable and we will be doubling down with compliance and enforcement to make sure we get ahead of the Delta strain,” Deputy Commissioner Lanyon said.
“It only takes one person to do the wrong thing to facilitate considerable spread of the virus,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner Lanyon said police would be issuing $5,000 fines to people and closing any businesses which breached the health orders.
“(Police) will not apologise for these increased enforcement efforts going forward,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner of Regional NSW Field Operations for the NSW Police Force, Mick Willing said preventing movement to regional areas from Sydney, and between regional areas, would be a key focus of the Operation.
“There will be more roadblocks on main arterial roads and backroads from tomorrow (15 August), and these operations will continue to expand throughout this week in order to enforce the permit system announced by the NSW Government this morning (14 August),” Deputy Commissioner Willing said.
