Two men fined for breaches of COVID 19 quarantine directions
ACT Policing has issued two Criminal Infringement Notices (CINs) on Saturday, 15 August 2020, to people in breach of the ACT’s COVID-19 quarantine directions.
About 1.45pm, police conducted a compliance check on a man who had previously been issued a CIN caution for leaving quarantine.
The man arrived at his residence while police were conducting the check.
About 7.30pm, police conducted a compliance check on a man who had not responded to the ACT Health quarantine survey questionnaire for two days.
When police attended the man’s residence, he was not at home. Police directed him, by phone, to return home immediately. When the man arrived at his residence, he did not cooperatively provide details about why he had left quarantine.
Both men were issued $1,000 Criminal Infringement Notice.
In the past seven days, ACT Policing has conducted 440 compliance checks. To date, ACT Policing has conducted more than 2958 compliance checks. Close to 400 people have been checked more than three times.
Detective Superintendent Mick Calatzis from the ACT Policing COVID-19 Taskforce said the behaviour of the two men was only representative of a small portion of the Canberra community.
“The majority of people are doing the right thing,” Detective Superintendent Calatzis said.
“They are doing their part to keep the community safe. Our priority as police is also to keep the community safe, and anyone found flouting the ACT’s public health directions will not be tolerated.
“Police and the ACT Government have gone to great lengths to educate and support people in quarantine about their responsibilities.
“It is extremely concerning that a very small number of people believe their needs are more important than the health of the community. Everyone in quarantine is in the same situation, we’re not asking any of them to do anything differently.”
ACT Policing has issued three CINs to individuals and one CIN to a Canberra business.
For all general enquiries – including to make a report of non-compliance of public health directions with referrals to ACT Health Protection Services, ACT Policing or Access Canberra Fair Trading – you can contact the COVID-19 Helpline on 6207 7244 (8am to 8pm, 7 days a week) or online form available here. For police assistance call 131 444 and only contact Triple Zero for emergencies.
Media enquiries
Police Media — (02) 5126 9070, act-police-media@afp.gov.au