Police Commissioner Karen Webb says best detectives investigating why 95-year-old was tasered
Authorities are still trying to piece together the events leading up to the Tasering of 95-year-old great-grandmother, with it now being revealed she was missing up to an hour before the tragic encounter.
Police & Courts
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A great-grandmother who is fighting for life after being tasered by police was missing for an hour before the tragic encounter.
Staff at Yallambee Lodge in Cooma could not locate 95-year-old Clare Nowland, who had apparently wandered from her multi-bedroom residence, one of several wings in the facility.
Police were then called to help at 4.15am on Wednesday after reports Ms Nowland, who suffers from advanced dementia, had a serrated steak knife.
It is understood body worn footage video will show the great-grandmother was slowly walking towards a senior constable with a knife over her head, her eyes fixed on the officer in front of her.
While the senior constable, a veteran of 12 years, repeatedly told Ms Nowland to stay where she was and that he had a taser.
After she failed to drop the knife, the senior constable discharged his taser, causing her to fall back and hit her head.
As she remains in Cooma District Hospital receiving end-of-life care, investigators are working overtime to piece together the hours leading up to the incident.
NSW Police remain tight-lipped on what other options the officer had to calm Ms Nowland.
The detectives from the State Homicide Squad and Law Enforcement Conduct Commission will also investigate how the mother of eight came to be in possession of two different knives.
The officer at the centre of the probe is not at work but police would not comment on whether or not he had been stood down.
Police Commissioner Karen Webb said it was too early to indicate if charges would be laid.
“The best detectives in NSW are on this case,” she said. “I have every confidence it is being handled in the appropriate manner.”
Ms Webb said the circumstances around why police were called to the nursing home were still being investigated but: “In my experience, it’s quite rare that we will be called to a nursing home”.
“And, if in the fullness of this investigation we come to learn that we need to better equip our officers to deal with dementia patients, then we will do so.”
Ms Webb — whose own mother has severe dementia and lives in a nursing home — confirmed she had not seen the footage.
“I don’t really intend to, no,” Ms Webb said. “I’ve heard what’s in the body worn (cameras) and I don’t see it necessary that I actually view it.”
Ms Webb said the footage would not be publicly released.
“Firstly I am not sure why they would want to see it. Body-worn video is subject to legislative requirements around the surveillance devices act and other things, so it is not routine and we don’t intend to release it, unless there is a process at the end of this that would allow it to be released.”
Ms Webb flew to Cooma on Friday to visit Ms Nowland.
“She has had eight children, she has got 24 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren and four further expected this year,” Ms Webb said. “She is a keen golfer, and very community-minded, and cared a lot for her community.”
She said Ms Nowland’s family “wanted answers”.
“What we don’t yet know is why it happened,” she said. “Mrs Nowland and her family deserve that this is done properly.
“We need to ensure that the officers involved in this matter are afforded procedural fairness, and that anything that we say (does not) prejudice the investigation.”
Meanwhile, former detective sergeant and One Nation MP Rod Roberts said: “I am not condoning the actions of the police officers, but the question I have is how did a 95-year-old woman with dementia in an aged care facility get access to a steak knife at four in the morning?”
Snowy Monaro Regional Council, operator of Yallambee, said a report about the incident had been made to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
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