• Police made “a handful” of arrests for allegedly wearing or displaying gang patches on the first day of enforcing new anti-gang laws.
• Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Bashman understood there’s been “noticeably fewer patches” visible.
• The Gangs Act 2024 bans gang patches in public and provides tools to target gang crime.

Police say they made “a handful” of arrests and seizures of gang patches and insignia on day one of the enforcement of new anti-gang laws.

The Gangs Act 2024 came into force at midnight on Wednesday and police took action almost immediately, stopping a vehicle displaying gang insignia at 12.03am.

Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Bashman said police had taken enforcement action “in a small number of instances” on Thursday.

“I’m hearing from police staff around the country that there’s been a good level of compliance, and noticeably fewer patches in areas that we might typically expect to see them.

“Data is being collated for the first day of enforcement and at this time we’re reporting just a handful of arrests and seizures of patches and gang insignia. Police will continue to monitor and enforce any breaches,” Basham said shortly before 6.30pm on Thursday.

“Police are well placed to respond to reports of breaches and our teams are actively working on a number of inquiries related to breaches that our Gang Disruption Units will be following up in the next 24 hours.”

Basham said after three months of engagement with gangs, the focus of police now shifts to active enforcement with a prosecution focus.

“While it’s early days, it’s encouraging that it appears that gang members are taking notice of the legislation and making choices that will ensure they don’t fall foul of the law.

The first person to face prosecution under the Gangs Act 2024 was nabbed in Hastings only three minutes after the law came into effect.

“Our goal is to gain widespread compliance with the new law through certainty of enforcement in the early weeks of the Gangs Act coming into effect. This is one of the tools we have that support our intent of the legislation to reduce the fear and intimidation caused by gangs, and our purpose to ensure people feel safe, and are safe.”

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Minister of Police Mark Mitchell yesterday said one man was arrested for wearing a patch in a supermarket in Wairoa, Hawke’s Bay, just before 11am.

A second man was arrested after he was seen standing on the street in Papakura, Auckland, around the same time.

The first person to face prosecution was nabbed only three minutes after the law came into effect.

The new Police Commissioner, Richard Chambers, told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking Breakfast about the first alleged offence this morning.

”I’m happy with how that went and I suspect there will be more to come,” Chambers said.

A police spokesman confirmed a 51-year-old Napier man had been allegedly displaying gang insignia in public on Southampton St, Hastings, at 12.03am.

He allegedly had a Mongrel Mob sign on his car’s dashboard. He was given a court summons and his sign was confiscated, the spokesman said.

New Police Commissioner Richard Chamber says he is happy with how the first arrest under the Gangs Act 2024 went. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Chambers said the Mobster was respectful and followed police’s orders.

Lifetime Black Power member and community advocate Denis O‘Reilly told Newstalk ZB’s Wellington Mornings he was not surprised by the charge laid in Hastings.

O’Reilly noted he had predicted such immediate action a week ago.

“I said there will be policemen waiting from midnight for the new law to take action,” O’Reilly said.

He said he was trying to get everyone to “stay calm” as the law rolled out, and “look after each other’s families – I’m talking about police families as well as gang families”.

Mitchell said “compliance with the legislation is high” and said police were ready to enforce the law.

“There is a very simple message to gang members worried about police having the ability to lock them up or search their home; comply with the legislation,” Mitchell said.

The Gangs Act 2024 bans the display of gang patches in public places, and provides extra tools to target gang-related crime and intimidation.

Courts will be able to issue non-consorting orders, and police will be able to stop criminal gang members from associating and communicating.