Elderly Woman Tasered by Police at Aged Care Home in NSW Snowy Mountains
An incident at an aged care home in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains has left a 95-year-old woman in critical condition after she was Tasered by police. The woman, Clare Nowland, was found armed with a knife by staff at Yallambee Lodge in Cooma, prompting them to call the police. It is understood that the officers used their Tasers after struggling to disarm the elderly woman.
Transported to Cooma Base Hospital, Nowland is currently fighting for her life. The NSW Police have stated that her condition is being monitored and a critical incident team will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. This investigation will be subject to independent review.
Nowland, a great-grandmother, is reportedly well-known in the community. The incident has raised concerns about the use of Tasers on vulnerable individuals, particularly the elderly.
The Use of Tasers on Vulnerable Individuals
The use of Tasers by police has been a topic of controversy for many years. While they are intended to be a non-lethal alternative to firearms, there have been numerous cases where their use has resulted in serious injury or death. The incident at Yallambee Lodge highlights the potential dangers of using Tasers on vulnerable individuals, particularly the elderly.
Tasers are designed to incapacitate a person by delivering an electric shock that disrupts their nervous system. While they are generally considered safe, there are risks associated with their use. In particular, Tasers can cause cardiac arrest or other serious medical complications in individuals with pre-existing health conditions.
In recent years, there have been calls for greater regulation of Taser use by police. Some have argued that Tasers should only be used as a last resort and that alternative methods of de-escalation should be employed wherever possible. Others have called for stricter guidelines around the use of Tasers on vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly or those with mental health conditions.
Conclusion
The incident at Yallambee Lodge is a tragic reminder of the potential dangers of using Tasers on vulnerable individuals. While the circumstances surrounding the incident are still being investigated, it is clear that there are risks associated with the use of Tasers by police. As a society, we must continue to question the use of force by law enforcement and work towards finding alternative methods of de-escalation that do not put vulnerable individuals at risk.
Source: 9news.com.au
