Details emerge of 85-year-old's death after 19-hour police response delay
By
Seia Ibanez
- Replies 18
In a quiet neighbourhood of Bankstown, southwest Sydney, a community is grappling with a tragic event that has raised serious questions about the timeliness of police responses to welfare checks.
An 85-year-old man was found deceased in his home, and the circumstances leading up to the discovery have prompted a critical incident investigation.
On the afternoon of 4 July, a concerned member of the public dialled the police, requesting a welfare check on the elderly man at a unit on William Street.
The call came in at approximately 5:40 PM, but police officers did not arrive at the scene until 12.30 PM the following day, 19 hours later.
Upon their arrival, the officers immediately commenced CPR in a desperate attempt to revive the man.
Tragically, their efforts were in vain. Paramedics soon arrived and declared the man dead.
‘Unfortunately, even with the assistance of ambulance, we were unable to sustain the life of the 85-year-old male,’ NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden told a news conference.
Commenting on the man's death this morning, McFadden remarked that Bankstown was ‘one of the busiest commands in the state’.
The Cumberland Critical Incident Investigation Team has stepped in to scrutinise the actions of the New South Wales Police Force.
‘Looking at the workload and the priorities that were considered at that time, on the information that was available, it is now a direct report from the investigation to me,’ McFadden said.
This investigation will be subject to an independent review by the Professional Standards Command and will be overseen by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC).
The LECC has confirmed that it was notified of the critical incident and will be ‘independently monitoring the investigation’.
A report will be prepared for the coroner, who will examine the details of the man's death and the factors that contributed to the police's delayed response.
In similar news, the son of a 92-year-old man called for Aged Care Reforms and mental health services after NSW police officers allegedly assaulted his father.
However, the NSW Police Commissioner emphasised the complexity of responding to incidents involving elderly people with mental decline and reassured residents that they can trust the police. You can read more about the story here.
Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the man who passed away.
An 85-year-old man was found deceased in his home, and the circumstances leading up to the discovery have prompted a critical incident investigation.
On the afternoon of 4 July, a concerned member of the public dialled the police, requesting a welfare check on the elderly man at a unit on William Street.
The call came in at approximately 5:40 PM, but police officers did not arrive at the scene until 12.30 PM the following day, 19 hours later.
Upon their arrival, the officers immediately commenced CPR in a desperate attempt to revive the man.
Tragically, their efforts were in vain. Paramedics soon arrived and declared the man dead.
‘Unfortunately, even with the assistance of ambulance, we were unable to sustain the life of the 85-year-old male,’ NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden told a news conference.
Commenting on the man's death this morning, McFadden remarked that Bankstown was ‘one of the busiest commands in the state’.
The Cumberland Critical Incident Investigation Team has stepped in to scrutinise the actions of the New South Wales Police Force.
‘Looking at the workload and the priorities that were considered at that time, on the information that was available, it is now a direct report from the investigation to me,’ McFadden said.
This investigation will be subject to an independent review by the Professional Standards Command and will be overseen by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC).
The LECC has confirmed that it was notified of the critical incident and will be ‘independently monitoring the investigation’.
A report will be prepared for the coroner, who will examine the details of the man's death and the factors that contributed to the police's delayed response.
In similar news, the son of a 92-year-old man called for Aged Care Reforms and mental health services after NSW police officers allegedly assaulted his father.
However, the NSW Police Commissioner emphasised the complexity of responding to incidents involving elderly people with mental decline and reassured residents that they can trust the police. You can read more about the story here.
Key Takeaways
- An 85-year-old man was found dead in Bankstown, south-west Sydney, almost a week after his death was declared a critical incident.
- There was a 19-hour delay between the public call for a welfare check and the police’s arrival at his unit.
- A critical incident investigation is being conducted by the Cumberland Police Area Command to examine all aspects of the response from NSW Police.
- The investigation will be independently reviewed by the Professional Standards, with oversight by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC), and a report will be prepared for the coroner.