Police are out in force at Auckland Prison, the maximum security prison at Paremoremo. 

An eyewitness who asked not to be named told the Herald there were around a dozen police cars at the North Shore prison, covering every entrance.At nearby Sanders Reserve about 14 police were visible, and a police transporter, a prison van and three police cars were parked up, he said. 

Police had been at the prison on the North Shore since at least 8am.