Kochie and Nat confront the NSW top cop over the controversial tasering incident caught on bodycam!
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Here at the Seniors Discount Club, we aim to not only pass on amazing discounts and deals to our members, but we also want to keep you informed on current events and news relevant to our community.
And recently, the tasering of a 95-year-old grandmother with dementia by a police officer in a New South Wales nursing home has grabbed not only national headlines but has also drawn international attention.
Let’s dive into the growing controversy surrounding this shocking incident and what it might mean for the future of aged care and policing in Australia.
The incident occurred at Yallambee Lodge aged care facility in Cooma, where Clare Nowland, a frail mother of eight who was using a walking frame, was tasered by a police officer after allegedly approaching officers while holding a knife and failing to drop it.
Clare, who weighs only 43 kg, was critically injured during the incident and is now receiving end-of-life care in Cooma District Hospital.
This news was met with outrage online, which subsequently led to Sunrise hosts David Koch and Natalie Barr grilling NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb on the matter.
One aspect that has particularly drawn their disapproval was the commissioner’s refusal to watch the body-worn footage of the incident. Assistant Commissioner Peter Cotter agreed that this act was ‘confronting’.
‘I don’t really intend to. I’ve heard what’s in the body [cam], and I don’t see it necessary that I actually view it,’ she said previously.
But in response, Commissioner Webb maintained that she wanted to allow the detectives to conduct their investigation without her interference.
She stated, 'If at a point in time, I become a decision-maker about the employment of the officer or the investigation, then I will look at the evidence as a complete picture, not just one part of it.'
Commissioner Webb added that any interference on her part might prejudice the outcome of the case, and she admitted that Mrs Nowland and her family ‘deserve better than that’.
‘It’s a shocking matter, and I’ve never seen anything like it. But I need to let the detectives and specialists do their job,’ she said before claiming that ‘the community has every right to know exactly what’s happened’.
While Commissioner Webb continues to receive daily briefings on the investigation, Kochie questioned her about the level of threat the 95-year-old grandmother could have been, considering she was on a walker and weighed merely 43 kg.
However, the commissioner refrained from providing further details, instead reiterating that the understanding of the events is still incomplete.
As the case unfolds, an investigation led by the Homicide Squad and the Professional Standards Committee of NSW Police, supervised by the independent Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC), has been launched.
Commissioner Webb stated that detectives had collected witness testimonies and were now in the process of seeking expert opinion on the use of the weapon.
On Tuesday, it was confirmed that the officer involved, a 33-year-old senior constable with 12 years of service, has been suspended from duty with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.
Commissioner Webb revealed that the decision on whether he should be charged after the incident would come after an investigation had taken place.
In the meantime, this distressing incident has prompted advocates and members of the public to call for reforms in police training and healthcare.
Commissioner Webb herself admitted that the role of a police officer is becoming increasingly complex, and they're expected to be experts in dealing with a wide range of situations. Especially in cases where police need to be called to facilities that deal with dementia patients, for which they may not have adequate training.
‘The role of a police officer is growing wider and wider, and we’re expected to know everything about everything, and we’re not experts on everything,’ Commissioner Webb stated.
Nat then inquired about what a nursing home should do if a patient is brandishing a knife, to which the police commissioner said these cases were a ‘question of training’.
‘What training do they have to deal with those situations? Dealing with anyone with dementia is difficult ... it’s a last resort that they call the police,’ she explained.
This issue of inadequate training extends to nursing home staff as well, as highlighted by Dementia Support Australia's Steve Macfarlane. He called for more training for aged care workers, stating that staff should be able to de-escalate such situations themselves and not resort to calling the police.
‘Aged care staff really need to have the skills to de-escalate these sorts of situations themselves,’ he claimed.
As it currently stands, there is no mandatory training required for aged care workers in dealing with dementia patients in Australia.
You can watch a snippet of the interview below:
We at Seniors Discount Club will continue to keep you updated on this story. Stay informed, and be sure to share your thoughts on these pressing issues with us in the comments below.
Do you think there needs to be more of an emphasis on training and education when dealing with people who are living with dementia? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
And recently, the tasering of a 95-year-old grandmother with dementia by a police officer in a New South Wales nursing home has grabbed not only national headlines but has also drawn international attention.
Let’s dive into the growing controversy surrounding this shocking incident and what it might mean for the future of aged care and policing in Australia.
The incident occurred at Yallambee Lodge aged care facility in Cooma, where Clare Nowland, a frail mother of eight who was using a walking frame, was tasered by a police officer after allegedly approaching officers while holding a knife and failing to drop it.
Clare, who weighs only 43 kg, was critically injured during the incident and is now receiving end-of-life care in Cooma District Hospital.
The incident was met with public outcry. Credit: Magda Ehlers/Pexels
This news was met with outrage online, which subsequently led to Sunrise hosts David Koch and Natalie Barr grilling NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb on the matter.
One aspect that has particularly drawn their disapproval was the commissioner’s refusal to watch the body-worn footage of the incident. Assistant Commissioner Peter Cotter agreed that this act was ‘confronting’.
‘I don’t really intend to. I’ve heard what’s in the body [cam], and I don’t see it necessary that I actually view it,’ she said previously.
But in response, Commissioner Webb maintained that she wanted to allow the detectives to conduct their investigation without her interference.
She stated, 'If at a point in time, I become a decision-maker about the employment of the officer or the investigation, then I will look at the evidence as a complete picture, not just one part of it.'
According to the police commissioner, if she interferes with the investigation, it might compromise the case. Credit: Nermin Aliyeva/Pexels
Commissioner Webb added that any interference on her part might prejudice the outcome of the case, and she admitted that Mrs Nowland and her family ‘deserve better than that’.
‘It’s a shocking matter, and I’ve never seen anything like it. But I need to let the detectives and specialists do their job,’ she said before claiming that ‘the community has every right to know exactly what’s happened’.
While Commissioner Webb continues to receive daily briefings on the investigation, Kochie questioned her about the level of threat the 95-year-old grandmother could have been, considering she was on a walker and weighed merely 43 kg.
However, the commissioner refrained from providing further details, instead reiterating that the understanding of the events is still incomplete.
As the case unfolds, an investigation led by the Homicide Squad and the Professional Standards Committee of NSW Police, supervised by the independent Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC), has been launched.
Commissioner Webb stated that detectives had collected witness testimonies and were now in the process of seeking expert opinion on the use of the weapon.
On Tuesday, it was confirmed that the officer involved, a 33-year-old senior constable with 12 years of service, has been suspended from duty with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.
Commissioner Webb revealed that the decision on whether he should be charged after the incident would come after an investigation had taken place.
In the meantime, this distressing incident has prompted advocates and members of the public to call for reforms in police training and healthcare.
Commissioner Webb herself admitted that the role of a police officer is becoming increasingly complex, and they're expected to be experts in dealing with a wide range of situations. Especially in cases where police need to be called to facilities that deal with dementia patients, for which they may not have adequate training.
‘The role of a police officer is growing wider and wider, and we’re expected to know everything about everything, and we’re not experts on everything,’ Commissioner Webb stated.
Nat then inquired about what a nursing home should do if a patient is brandishing a knife, to which the police commissioner said these cases were a ‘question of training’.
‘What training do they have to deal with those situations? Dealing with anyone with dementia is difficult ... it’s a last resort that they call the police,’ she explained.
This issue of inadequate training extends to nursing home staff as well, as highlighted by Dementia Support Australia's Steve Macfarlane. He called for more training for aged care workers, stating that staff should be able to de-escalate such situations themselves and not resort to calling the police.
‘Aged care staff really need to have the skills to de-escalate these sorts of situations themselves,’ he claimed.
As it currently stands, there is no mandatory training required for aged care workers in dealing with dementia patients in Australia.
You can watch a snippet of the interview below:
Do you think there needs to be more of an emphasis on training and education when dealing with people who are living with dementia? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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