Clare Nowland in critical condition after being tasered at Cooma aged care home

A 95-year-old grandmother and dementia patient walked slowly towards police officers with a steak knife before she was tasered at an aged care facility, it has been revealed.

NSW Police will address the media following a police incident with Cooma aged care resident Clare Nowland at the Yallambee Lodge.

A 95-year-old grandmother and dementia patient walked slowly towards police officers with a steak knife before she was tasered at a Cooma aged care facility.

Clare Nowland remains in a critical condition following the incident at Yallambee Lodge in Cooma about 4.15am Wednesday.

The woman suffered a brain bleed and skull fracture after she fell and hit her head after being tasered by a police officer.

Southern Region Commander Assistant Commissioner Peter Cotter confirmed on Friday the woman was alone in a medical treatment room when a taser was discharged once.

“I have seen the footage. Both officers had their body worn video activated and the incident in totality was captured both audio and visual. It’s confronting footage,” he said.

Yallambee Lodge in Cooma. Picture: Sam Turner

The commissioner said the footage would not be released to the public.

“It forms a significant integral part of the investigation and it is not in the public interest to be releasing that,” he said.

The assistant commissioner said Ms Nowland left her room and retrieved a serrated steak knife from a kitchen in the aged care home when police confronted her.

“At the time she was tasered she was approaching police but it is fair to say at a slow pace. She had a walking frame but she had a knife. I’m not in a position to talk about Clare’s medical history.”

Clare Nowland.

The commissioner also said the officers involved were in their “early teens” of experience, while the officer who allegedly discharged the weapon had 12 years’ experience.

“The police and a number of staff, both paramedics and otherwise engaged in conversation with her to de-escalate the matter for her to drop the knife and that went on in a conversation for a number of minutes,” he said.

He would not elaborate on the words used but “the words were clear to de-escalate the matter”.

Yallambee Lodge in Cooma. Picture: Sam Turner

The first responders to the incident were paramedics, as Cooma police having to be called to duty because the station was not open 24 hours.

The commissioner would not comment on how long the senior constable who used the Taser would be stood down for, or if he would face criminal charges.

“Clearly officers in any general sense, any member of the emergency services, any member of the police force, is not above the law. Our actions, whatever we do and wherever we do it are always under review,” he said.

Homicide squad are involved and “numerous witnesses” will be spoken to, including police and family.

Southern Region Commander Assistant Commissioner Peter Cotter addresses the media after an incident involving Clare Nowland.

Cooma residents were left shocked following the incident which left the beloved community figure fighting for life in hospital with her shattered family by her side.

Ms Nowland was involved for decades as a member of the Cooma Golf Club and St Patrick’s Parish.

Former St Patrick’s Parish Priest Mick MacAndrew said Ms Nowland’s links to the church and town went back generations.

Fr MacAndrew said she was a regular at daily mass before she went into care and was a part of a “devoted” family.

Ms Nowland was also known around Cooma as a community figure who worked at St Vincent de Paul for a number of years and also helped the elderly.

The woman, who was one of 16 children, had lived with her children after the death of her husband some decades ago.

In an initial statement, NSW Police labelled the incident as an “interaction” where she “sustained injuries”.

Ms Nowland is in Cooma District Hospital in a critical condition. Picture: NSW Health

In a later statement Commissioner Webb said: “My thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.”

“I understand and share the community concerns, and assure you that we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness,” she said.

Greens MP Sue Higginson said the incident had to be a turning point for policing in NSW with an internal investigation being “simply not good enough”.

“We’re seeing a pattern of police response that is causing harm rather than de-escalating situations and providing the necessary care responses to some of our most vulnerable people,” Ms Higginson said.

Greens MP Sue Higginson. Picture: Cath Piltz

Ms Higginson said we could not allow police to investigate other police when there has been a report of “misconduct”.

“It is a failure of the NSW Police, and their standards, policies and training, that a 95 year old dementia patient has been tasered twice while in a care facility,” she said.

“This kind of conduct reflects the years of increases to police powers granted by the NSW Government without ramping up the oversight mechanisms to reflect these increased powers.”

Ms Nowland remains at Cooma District Hospital in a critical condition.

A critical incident team comprised of officers from State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the discharge of a taser.

The investigation is subject to independent review with the officer’s duty status is under review.

When Snowy Monaro Regional Council was approached for comment on Thursday, a spokeswoman said staff, residents and families were being supported.

“No further comment is available at the current time due to the ongoing investigation and out of respect for the privacy of those involved,” the spokeswoman said.