Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Gangs Act 2024

Dispersal notices and non-consorting orders - Dispersal notices

14: Requirement to disperse

You could also call this:

“Police can tell people to leave or move away from a public place”

If a police officer gives you a dispersal notice during a gathering, they can tell you and other people named in the notice to do one of two things. They can ask you to leave the public place right away, or they can tell you to move a certain distance away from the public place. The police officer will tell you which part of the public place you need to leave or move away from.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS939390.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Police and safety
Rights and equality > Anti-discrimination
Previous

13: Duty of constable to explain dispersal notice, or

“Police must try to explain dispersal notices to you”

Next

15: Duration of dispersal notice, or

“How long a dispersal notice lasts and when it starts”

Part 3 Dispersal notices and non-consorting orders
Dispersal notices

14Requirement to disperse

  1. This section applies if a dispersal notice is issued to a person while the gathering to which it relates is taking place.

  2. A constable may require the person issued with the notice and all or any of the named persons—

  3. to immediately leave the public place (or part of the public place) specified by the constable; or
    1. to go beyond a reasonable distance from the public place (or part of the public place) specified by the constable.