Chifley Police District urges Bathurst citizens to stay at home where possible

That's the big message Chifley Police District Acting Superintendent Bruce Grassick has for the local Bathurst community after more than 50 infringement notices were handed down across the district.

Since August 14, the day the stay-at-home orders came into effect in regional NSW, police officers attached to the Chifley Police District have issued 53 infringements since the start of the lockdown.

Supt Grassick said the vast majority of infringements are related to not wearing a mask or being out of home without a reasonable excuse.

READ MORE:

"The vast majority of people have been compliant, but we're still seeing a handful individuals who have not been compliant," he said.

"Around that non compliance, we issued 53 infringements. We've also issued a court attendance order for non compliance, four warnings and one matter was dealt with under the young offenders act.

"Most of them have been out of home without a reasonable excuse and the other ones have been failing to comply with face coverings. That's been over the past 24 hours but that's been the vast majority of our offences."

Supt Grassick stressed the importance for the local community to follow the stay-at-home orders to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 amongst regional communities.

"You need to adhere to the Public Health Order because any non-adherence to those Public Health Orders is putting others at risk," he explained.

"That's not only going to affect your friends, family or work colleagues but the entire community.

"But the vast majority of people are doing the right thing. It's really these other pockets that are not and causing this virus to spread."

Reasonable excuses to leave home includes obtaining food or other goods and services locally, leave home to go to work if if you can't work from home and if the business is allowed to open, eave home for education if it is not possible to do it at home, exercise and take outdoor recreation within your local government area, or go out for medical or caring reasons.

Obtaining a COVID-19 vaccination is also considered a reasonable excuse to leave home.

To see the list of other reasonable excuses, visit the NSW Government website at www.nsw.gov.au.

The regional NSW lockdown is expected to run until at least Saturday, August 28.

The NSW Government is expected to make a decision on whether it will be extended or not in the days beforehand.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: