IR-01-25-20695
9 June 2025
John
[FYI request #31213 email]
Dear John
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request received 4 June 2025 in
which you requested information about breath tests in Hamilton. I have answered each
part of your request below.
1. Can I have information about the number of breath testing checkpoints (traffic
stops) that Police operated in Hamilton City for each of the months of June
2024, July 2024, and August 2024?
2. Can I have information about the locations and times-of-day for each of the
breath testing checkpoints (traffic stops) that Police operated in Hamilton City
for each of the months of June 2024, July 2024, and August 2024?
3. Can I have information about the checkpoint totals for number of drivers
tested and number of positive breath tests for each of the breath testing
checkpoints (traffic stops) that Police operated in Hamilton City for each of
the months of June 2024, July 2024, and August 2024?
4. Can I have information about the daily totals for the number of drivers tested
and the number of positive breath tests for each day that Police operated a
breath testing checkpoint (traffic stops) in Hamilton City for each of the
months of June 2024, July 2024, and August 2024?
5. Can I have information about the monthly totals for the number of drivers
tested and the number of positive breath tests for breath testing checkpoint
(traffic stops) in Hamilton City for each of the months of June 2024, July
2024, and August 2024?
The types of checks undertaken in a checkpoint are not recorded and not all checkpoints
wil be for the purpose of breath testing. We cannot determine how an original offence
was detected and whether this was at a breath testing checkpoint.
In addition, New Zealand Police does not record the number of checkpoints/operations
that occur. This is because checkpoints can range from a single officer conducting a
suburban checkpoint, through to a large multi-team operation and is unable to be
distinguished.
Police National Headquarters 180 Molesworth Street. PO Box 3017, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
Telephone: 04 474 9499. Fax: 04 498 7400. www.police.govt.nz
As such, these parts of your request have been refused under section 18(g)(i) of the OIA
as the information requested is not held by Police and I have no grounds for believing
that the information is held by any other agency subject to the OIA.
However, you may be interested to know that Police regularly publishes information of
high public interest on our website. This includes the number of passive and screening
breath tests recorded on Police breath alcohol test devices. Evidential test numbers are
not included. This also includes al offences relating to driving under the influence of
alcohol and drugs. The information is updated quarterly, with the latest available data
found here:
https://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/publication/road-policing-driver-offence-data-
january-2009-december-2024
If you are not satisfied with the way I have responded to your request, you have the right
under section 28(3) of the OIA to ask the Ombudsman to review my decisions.
Information on how to do this is available online at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
Yours sincerely
Superintendent Stephen Greally
Director: Road Policing
New Zealand Police
