Acting Superintendent Bruce Grassick, said Chifley Police have increased patrols at transport hubs, tourist areas and increased Traffic and Highway Patrol numbers to ensure compliance of the Public Health Orders currently in place.

Supt Grassick said police have been across taskings since the start of the pandemic.

"This is nothing new for us, having said that we have doubled down in relation to our taskings surrounding the most recent issues arising from Sydney (and the subsequent lockdown.)

"We've increased patrols of the transport hubs primarily the XPT, bus lines and accommodation providers.

"We've been looking at tourist sites people may frequent; only last week in Lithgow, a number of people from the Greater Sydney area decided to visit a plateau.

"As a result there were 18 infringements issued to a number of different parties. So we are certainly working very hard in that space.

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"Further to that, today we have also increased our presence around the Lithgow area with support of Traffic and Highway Patrol Command.

"We are looking at that funnel of movement and road users coming from Greater Sydney into the regional areas and really looking at policing compliance around the Public Health Orders.

"A lot of work is being done in that space and that will continue until the Public Health Order eases," he said.

Supt Grassick said police were utilising their relevant powers to stop vehicles where they then are able to engage those in the car.

"We have a chat to people in the car, we can work out where they're from and under the Public Health Order we can ask for an address and then have a genuine conversation with them, and also see whether they fall under the exemption.

He said police were "all about strict compliance" with the Public Health Order.

"We don't want to see the virus makes its way into our regional areas and we will work very hard to ensure that doesn't happen," he said.

He also said licensing police along with general duties were ensuring businesses are compliant with QR codes.

Supt Grassick also encouraged anyone with factual information about people breaching Public Health Orders to contact Crime Stoppers or Bathurst Police Station.

"We really want to get the factual calls, we don't want a situation where police resources are stretched chasing info that is not factual; that is draining police resources.

"If there is a genuine report on what people believe to be a genuine breach of a Covid Public Health Order or restriction, make contact with police and we will look into it," he said.

Overall, he said police were finding the Bathurst community were complying.

"With the exception of these people we are infringing, people have been good. This is not the time to flout the Public Health Order or be selfish and really potentially spread a virus which is uncompromising."

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