Police boss’ excuse for not disclosing tasering of elderly woman Clare Nowland

A police boss has issued a bizarre excuse for failing to initially disclose that a frail 95-year-old dementia patient had been tasered by officers last week.

A police boss has issued a bizarre excuse for initially failing to disclose that a frail 95-year-old dementia patient had been tasered by officers last week.

Police were called to the Yallambee Lodge aged care home in Cooma, in southern New South Wales, at around 4.15am on Wednesday morning after resident Clare Nowland, who has dementia, was found by staff holding a steak knife.

After officers failed to get the 43kg woman to drop the knife, an experienced officer with 12 years in the force discharged a taser, causing Ms Nowland to fall and hit her head.

Ms Nowland’s priest has since revealed her distraught family has maintained a bedside vigil as she sees out her final days.

Clare Nowland was allegedly tasered by police at an aged care home in Cooma. Picture: ABC News

Police boss grilled

2GB’s Ben Fordham grilled NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb on air Monday morning, demanding to know why an initial statement released by police regarding the incident made no mention of the tasering.

The first press release only mentioned there had been an “incident” between the nonagenarian and officers.

“It was necessary for us to make sure that the family were aware of what the circumstances were,” Commissioner Webb said in response.

“We didn’t want the family to hear on radio and TV what had happened to their mum, so we had to be a bit sensitive to that and when we were able to talk about it, we did.”

Fordham then asked whether police wanted to protect Ms Nowland’s family, or hide “something that might be embarrassing or shameful for the police?”

“We are not hiding. I want answers as do the family,” the commissioner said.

“I thought it was important that we were mindful of the family.”

The host then questioned whether Commissioner Webb still believed the omission was the right course of action.

“Yes I do, as I said the Nowland family deserve to learn from police what happened rather than hear about it in the media,” she said, adding that she would not be watching bodycam of the incident, a stance Fordham objected to.

“You’re the most senior officer in NSW, you will make the final decision about whether this officer remains in the force, I know it’s not going to be pretty but in the end I think it’s your duty to watch it commissioner,” he said.

“I want answers like everyone else does,” she responded.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb APM has defended the initial police statement, which made no mention of the fact the 95-year-old had been tasered. Picture: NewsWire/ Monique Harmer

End of life care

Ms Nowland is now receiving end of life care at Cooma Hospital.

The tragic update was shared by Father Mark Croker, who said mass at her bedside.

Ms Nowland was a keen churchgoer.

“She looks peaceful, she’s not conscious but she certainly looks comfortable,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

He added the mum-of-eight was only in the early stages of dementia.

“They are a big family, so they’re coming in and out … but they’re speaking to Clare, they say the last of your senses to go is your hearing, so we know she can hear us,” he said.

“The thing with Clare is the dementia hadn’t completely taken hold, you could still have a conversation with her … she might get a bit confused, but that’s an age thing”.

Fr Thaler had last spoken to Ms Nowland when she was in hospital for a minor illness a week ago.

“We had a very good conversation, her daughter was there too … she had her knitting with her which was her thing in later life, she was in very good form,” he said.

A family friend and community advocate Andrew Thaler said Ms Nowland’s extended family, which includes eight children, 24 grandchildren and 31 great grandchildren with another four on the way later this year, were distraught by the level of force used on the elderly woman.

“They want answers, as does the community … but they are scared because they’ve been told not to talk publicly,” Mr Thaler said.

“This is possibly the oldest person on the planet to be tasered, there really are no words for this.”

Ms Nowland was in the early stages of dementia. Picture: Supplied

Meanwhile, the incident was captured on body camera footage but NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the force had no intention of releasing it.

The bodycam footage of the incident has been described as “confronting” and will not be released to the public.

Ms Webb said bodycam video is subject to legislative requirements and is not routinely released.

The footage will be reviewed as part of the investigation, which is now under the care of a critical incident team and homicide squad detectives from Sydney.

The officer at the centre of the investigation is “not on office duties” while the investigation is underway,

Federal Minister for Aged Care Annika Wells has confirmed that she has sought out information from the aged care home provider and a separate investigation has been opened by the Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission.

“The incident at Yallambee Lodge in Cooma has been deeply distressing and my thoughts are with Clare Nowland, her family and all those impacted,” Ms Wells posted to her Facebook page on Saturday morning.

Originally published as Police boss’ excuse for not disclosing tasering of elderly woman Clare Nowland