Director of Century 21 The Bay real estate agency Carol Hartlett has accused the Police Commissioner of trying to ‘fob off’ her knife threat concerns

The Police Commissioner has been accused of “fobbing off” the director of a real estate agency after she was allegedly threatened with a knife.

A woman allegedly threatened with a knife by a mental health patient has accused the Police Commissioner of trying to “fob off” her concerns after he insisted police “did their job” but were unaware the patient had been released from hospital.

A frustrated Carol Hartlett, director of Century 21 The Bay real estate agency, said police should have made inquiries about patient Lisa Bowes’ whereabouts after Ms Hartlett reported receiving a threatening phone call on the morning of Monday, April 22.

Instead, she claimed an officer at Glenelg police station told her “they’re just idle threats” and “people often don’t go through with this”.

Carol Hartlett at Century 21 in Glenelg. Picture: Matt Loxton

That afternoon, Ms Bowes allegedly burst into the Byron St office with a knife and threatened Ms Hartlett and four other workers.

Ms Hartlett – the mother of former AFL players Hamish and Adam Hartlett, who this year became the first siblings to coach against each other in the SANFL in more than 60 years – detailed her experience in The Advertiser earlier this week, but SA Police declined to comment on the claims because the matter is before the courts.

In a backflip on Wednesday, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens publicly denied that Ms Hartlett’s concerns were dismissed by the officer at Glenelg station.

“That’s the allegations of one person regarding their experience with a police officer,” he told ABC Radio Adelaide’s breakfast program.

Mr Stevens confirmed that police had first been called to the Century 21 office on April 17 and detained Ms Bowes, who had a knife.

She received treatment for a psychotic episode at the Margaret Tobin mental health facility before she was discharged on April 22, despite the pleas of her family.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Tricia Watkinson

Ms Bowes made the phone call to Ms Hartlett that morning, which Mr Stevens said contained “threats to come and cause harm” – but there was no way to trace the call.

“The police officer at the station logged that on our system, recorded the incident and made a connection, based on the information given by the person reporting, connected that incident to the person (Ms Bowes) who was detained on the 17th of April,” he said.

“There was no other information, no other follow-up. So the police officer in the station did their job.”

Asked whether police should have acted on the report in the subsequent hours, Mr Stevens revealed police did not know that Ms Bowes had been released from hospital.

He said she had been detained under a mental health provision following the April 17 incident.

“In those circumstances, police are not advised of a person’s release,” he said.

But Ms Hartlett said that arrangement “isn’t good enough” and should be fixed.

“It’s up to (Mr Stevens) to enforce these things and to make these changes. Don’t just say ‘this doesn’t happen, too bad’,” she said.

She said the officer should have called the hospital to ensure that Ms Bowes was still a patient, instead of assuming she was still detained.

“(Mr Stevens) can try and fob it off all he wants but he wasn’t there. There’s two sides,” she said.

Carol Hartlett. Picture: Matt Loxton

Ms Bowes allegedly entered the office with a knife at 3.15pm on Monday afternoon, with staff forced to lock themselves in an office during the incident.

Police responded within four minutes and she was tasered, arrested and charged with assault and possession of a knife in a public place.

Ms Bowes told a court hearing last week she had suffered traumatic experiences at the Byron St property, which had occurred prior to the occupancy of Century 21.

She has been remanded in custody ahead of another appearance this month.

In a subsequent statement on Wednesday evening, SA Police said “Ms Hartlett is entitled to her opinions”.

“Notwithstanding the Commissioner’s comments this morning, her statements to the media concerning the alleged conduct of the officers involved have been treated as a complaint and are being investigated,” a statement said.

The investigation is being oversighted by the Office for Public Integrity.

“The suggestion police were blasé in their response to this matter is rejected. Police responded rapidly to both incidents and the woman was safely disarmed and at no time has the seriousness of either incident been downplayed,” the statement said.

“There are ongoing discussions between SAPOL and chief psychiatrist Dr John Brayley who has commissioned a review into aspects of this matter, particularly in relation to notifications and information exchange.”

Ms Bowes’ family last week said they had pleaded with doctors not to release her from hospital, and had emailed Dr Brayley at 11.42am on the Monday to warn him that she intended to return to Glenelg with a knife.

Dr Brayley said an independent external review into Ms Bowes’ case will look into the care she received over the past 18 months.

“The review will consider discharge procedures, communication with other agencies, as well as identify appropriate improvement recommendations for the care of people in similar situations in future,” he said.

Originally published as Director of Century 21 The Bay real estate agency Carol Hartlett has accused the Police Commissioner of trying to ‘fob off’ her knife threat concerns