NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has defended her decision to delay speaking to the media about the Tasering of a 95-year-old aged care resident until three days after the incident. Clare Nowland was Tasered while holding a steak knife at Yallambee Lodge in Cooma on Wednesday. Police used their Tasers after struggling to disarm the elderly resident, who was using a walking frame and “moving at a slow pace”. Officers were called to Yallambee Lodge in Cooma after staff found Clare Nowland armed with a knife. On Saturday, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said she didn’t speak to the public about the incident earlier because the family needed to be notified first. “Then we had to wait for the investigators to get onto the ground in Cooma, and those investigators have come from Sydney, and we have had to wait for those facts to become clear to us,” Webb said.
The Incident
Clare Nowland, a 95-year-old aged care resident, was Tasered by police after she was found holding a steak knife at Yallambee Lodge in Cooma. The police used their Tasers after struggling to disarm the elderly resident, who was using a walking frame and “moving at a slow pace”. The incident occurred on Wednesday, and Clare Nowland remains in the hospital.
Delay in Speaking to Media
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has defended her decision to delay speaking to the media about the incident until three days after it occurred. She stated that she had to wait for the investigators to arrive and for the facts to become clear. Additionally, she wanted to notify the family before speaking publicly about the incident.
Body-Worn Camera Footage
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb stated that she had not seen the footage from the officers’ body-worn cameras of the incident, nor does she plan on watching it. She also said she was “not sure” why there are calls for the footage to be publicly released. “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.”
Investigation
A critical incident investigation has been launched and will be led by the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad. The constable’s actions will be examined from a criminal perspective, but Webb said it was too early to speculate on whether charges will be laid. She added that she had complete faith in the investigation into the incident.
Conclusion
The Tasering of a 95-year-old aged care resident has sparked controversy, with NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb defending her decision to delay speaking to the media about the incident. The incident is currently under investigation, and it is too early to speculate on whether charges will be laid. The family of Clare Nowland will want answers, and the investigation will take time. However, Webb has complete faith in the investigation and the best detectives in New South Wales are on the case.
Source: 9news.com.au
