Police Commissioner Andrew Coster and Deputy Commissioner Wally Haumaha have addressed concerns on how police would use the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act.
The new law gives police emergency powers to enter a marae, without a warrant, if they believe Covid-19 safety restrictions are being violated.
Commissioner Coster has told the parliamentary watchdog committee that oversees new laws and regulations, when police are likely to exercise emergency powers.
"The only circumstances in which I could envisage we would need to [search a marae without a warrant] would be if a marae committee has lost control of a marae."
Wally Haumaha said Māori wardens would be sent first if a search was needed.
"Part of our first port of call would have been to engage Māori wardens from the outset, inside maraes.
"They (Māori wardens) would engage with us if they thought it was necessary."
Coster confirmed that so far, no marae had been searched without a warrant.