An off-duty police officer has been caught hunting just days after the coronavirus lockdown began.
Later Stuff media revealed the man, who was also sighted putting a deer into the boot of his car, was off-duty police officer Neil Gillespie who the Greymouth Star reported was not on active duty due to an injury.
Police said they had spoken to the offender.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she acknowledged there was some “conflicting advice” regarding hunting in the early days of the lockdown.
Ironically after the incident involving Neil Gillespie West Coast police sent a statement to local media three days after the incident reminding the public that going out hunting was a breach of the level 4 lockdown.
New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association national president Trevor Chappell reportedly said the off duty police officer “should know better”.
“It’s probably a bit like that Minister of Health David Clark – it’s inappropriate behaviour, [with] the location being on the West Coast [he] probably felt it was OK to do so.
“People are making these mistakes and they just have to live with them.”
On Saturday, police released guidelines for frontline officers after it was revealed they had little power to enforce the lock down unless they suspected a person had coronavirus.
The rules, set out in a health notice issued by director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield, include the banning of hunting, tramping or other activities that expose participants to danger or may require search and rescue services.
