Emails from Deputy Commissioner Mike Clement to district commanders and to the now Commissioner Andy Coster show a Crown Law opinion warning the police they had little or no power to enforce the lockdown. Ardern told Hosking it was up to the Attorney General whether to release legal advice from Crown Law. Mitchell, a former police officer, says many officers have approached him saying they're uneasy about enforcing the lockdown rules. "When it became apparent that there were legality issues with lockdown, we offered to assist the Government to pass legislation. "The Crown Law Office advice should have been made public," Mitchell said.

Source: Otago Daily Times May 03, 2020 19:30 UTC