Facebook page reveals location of West Coast police checkpoints

File photo / NZ Herald

A Facebook page has been launched warning people of the exact location of police road checkpoints on the West Coast.

However, police are relaxed about the page, which had 555 'likes' by this morning, saying it could prevent crashes.

'West Coast Police Check Points' asks people to report where police are by posting updates on the page.

So far most feedback is about Greymouth.

Comments over the past few days include tip-offs such as: "Stay off High Street, hospital area, cops (are) cruizin", and to watch out for a checkpoint outside Fergusons yard at South Beach.

West Coast police area commander Inspector John Canning said today he was not worried by the Facebook page, if it made people conscious of road safety and prevented injuries.

"It can't be bad."

The bottom line was prevention, "not writing tickets".

"Tickets are a means of people to remember (road safety)," he said.

The Facebook page, set up anonymously, says the aim "is simply to avoid fines and to avoid police harassment".