Police are yet to publicly explain a night of activity in which police helicopter Eagle buzzed over Napier for more than five hours other than to say a high presence is being maintained, with police carrying out more than 500 “pro-active community-based jobs in one day”.
The helicopter circled relentlessly
over the Maraenui-Mārewa-Onekawa South area, and also the Tamatea-Taradale area, from before 9pm on Monday to after 2am on Tuesday, during which time there were reports of sounds like gunshots in two separate bursts and a car being tracked and stopped in the Meeanee Rd-Hawke’s Bay Expressway area, resulting the apprehension of several juveniles, all before midnight.
There was also a report of a vehicle with a flat tyre being followed by police at a lower speed about 1am on Marine Parade, also with the Eagle flying in the vicinity.
The Auckland-based police aerial support unit has been in Hawke’s Bay since late last week, and spent several hours in the air on Friday night as a large number of armed police, involving at least 11 police vehicles, closed a stretch of Douglas McLean Ave in Mārewa from Latham St to Nuffield Ave, seeking a wanted man after an incident during the afternoon.
A late-afternoon statement on behalf of Eastern District Police on Tuesday said that in the 24 hours to 8am today, police conducted 523 reassurance activities – “that’s officers out and about in the community conducting foot patrols, engaging with the public and providing advice and support”.
