Police union attacks Karen Webb over officers’ charges after arrest of 92yo in Camden

Rank and file police have attacked top cop Karen Webb and her executives after two officers were charged with assaulting an elderly man, claiming internal advice found they had acted within their guidelines.

June 13: Police Commissioner Karen Webb addresses the media after two police officers were charged with the assault of a 92-year-old man. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Rank and file police have attacked Commissioner Karen Webb and her executives after two officers were charged with assaulting a 92-year-old man at his home south of Sydney, claiming internal expert advice found they actually had acted within their guidelines and training.

The two officers were suspended and then charged with assault in June after they responded to reports of a domestic incident in Picton on January 21.

Ronald Hodge, 92, allegedly suffered a fractured elbow and bruising when he was arrested after his wife, Patricia, called triple-0.

Ms Hodge, who has suffered from dementia for multiple years, was moved into a nursing facility afterwards.

Mr Hodge was never charged and there is no suggestion he engaged in wrongdoing.

Police Commissioner Karen Webb has come under fire from the police union over her handling of the Ronald Hodge incident. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

An investigation by NSW Police’s Operational Safety Tactics and Governance Command, which is separate to Camden police station where the officers were stationed, found the two had acted within their guidelines and training.

A number of motions recently passed by the Camden Branch of the Police Association of NSW detailed a number of grievances about the way the police hierarchy, and Ms Webb, had handled the incident.

Ron Hodge, 92, who was allegedly assaulted by two police officers when they were called to a domestic violence incident at his Picton home in January. Picture: Jane Dempster/Daily Telegraph

“The Branch acknowledges the matter is now before the court, however expresses its extreme disappointment that charges have been brought even after expert advice was received from the Operational Safety Tactics and Governance Command confirming these members had acted within NSW Police guidelines and training during the incident,” the first motion said.

The Camden branch also questioned why the allegations were not sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions to be examined and, instead, were reviewed within NSW Police.

“The Branch raises further concern that the matter was not reviewed by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) being the prosecuting authority and was reviewed internally before proceeding to charging,” it said.

“The Branch sees this second action ... as being a deliberate action to avoid a protracted and independent review of the legal validity of the incident based on a perceived need to expedite the matter to avoid scrutiny and this is to the detriment of our members.”

Police sources said there is now confusion among officers, who are unsure how they should respond to jobs involving elderly or mentally unwell people.Some officers are even too worried to try to restrain elderly people at all.

Ms Webb called a press conference to announce the two officers had been charged.

It came after another police officer was charged over the death of 94-year-old great-grandmother Clare Nowland after she was Tasered at her nursing home in a separate incident.

That officer has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.

In response to the Camden branch’s motions, a NSW Police spokeswoman said on Sunday: “As the matter is before the courts it’s inappropriate to comment further. Both officers are suspended with pay”.

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