Image: Clare Nowland (left) has died after being tasered by a NSW police officer. Images: Nine/Facebook/Wikimedia Commons
By TILEAH DOBSON
A 95 year-old woman has been left in a critical condition after she was allegedly tasered by police at a regional aged care facility.
Police had been called to the Yallambee Lodge in Cooma on Wednesday morning when staff had found the elderly woman, Clare Nowland wandering around with a knife.
It’s been reported that police resorted to tasering Nowland after struggling to disarm her.
An investigation into the matter has now been launched by the police, and that a “critical incident team will now investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
According to the Guardian, Nowland had been tasered twice – once in the chest and once in the back – before she fell and hit her head. She was then rushed to the Cooma district hospital where is being monitored.
It’s been reported that Nowland sustained a suspected fractured skull and “brain bleed.”
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has expressed her condolences and says her “thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.”
“I understand and share the community’s concerns, and assure you that we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness,” she said.
Cease Tasing Vulnerable People
President of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties, Josh Pallas has begun calling on the police to cease the use of tasers on vulnerable people “who are experiencing dementia or a mental health crisis.”
“Surely, there must be more appropriate ways to deal with noncompliant people who are suffering,” he said.
“In this instance we have a 95 year-old woman with dementia. Police overreach and disproportionality are common themes we see repeating over multiple incidents in NSW.”
“Yet again, I reiterate that the problem with tasers is that there is misunderstanding about their potential lethality; a clear lack of training leading to inappropriate policing with tragic outcomes for families and communities across NSW.”
Pallas has also voiced his support for an independent inquiry into NSW Police, stating that “police should never investigate police.”
“It’s difficult to imagine any circumstances where a frail 95 year old woman poses a credible threat to anyone – let alone two police officers,” he said.
“The NSW Ombudsman and the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission should initiate an inquiry into this because it transcends issues of police powers with mental health and ageing.”
“We need to ensure that no matter what the circumstances of this case that our elderly nursing home residents are protected. That includes protection from excessive police force.”
