Tasering a person who is armed with a knife is generally an appropriate action for police but might not be suitable in every instance, an officer's trial over the death of an elderly woman has been told.
Senior Constable Kristian White fired his stun gun at Clare Nowland, 95, in a treatment room at Yallambee Lodge aged-care home in the southern NSW town of Cooma during the early hours of May 17, 2023.
The great-grandmother, who had symptoms of dementia and was holding a knife at the time, fell backwards, hitting her head and died a week later in hospital.
White is facing a trial in the NSW Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to manslaughter.
NSW Police operational safety instructor William Watt on Friday said officers were trained that a subject armed with a knife presented a significant threat.
In close proximity, knives could be just as deadly as guns and were capable of being deployed quickly and repeatedly, Sergeant Watt told the court, reading from his pre-prepared statement.
“A knife is capable of inflicting multiple life-threatening injuries very quickly,” he said.
“Using a Taser against a subject armed with a knife is generally considered an appropriate option."
But officers were not trained that a knife should automatically warrant a gun or Taser being used, he said.
“Police are expected to evaluate the circumstances and select an appropriate tactical option based on the situation that confronts them,” Sgt Watt said.
When considering the use of force, a police officer's ultimate goal was to obtain control over the subject, he added.
But the confusion caused by dementia could make circumstances more difficult for officers to navigate, Sgt Watt said.
Defence barrister Troy Edwards SC asked the training expert if he accepted obtaining control could be difficult in circumstances where negotiation with the subject was limited or non-existent.
“Yes, it can be,” Sgt Watt replied.
A senior officer also recounted to the court a conversation he had with White following the Taser incident.
Sergeant Garrett Dawson said the senior constable told him: “I’ve had a look and supposedly we aren’t meant to tase elderly people.
"But in the circumstances I needed to. Maybe this will be my first critical incident.”
Sgt Dawson said he replied: "Maybe."
In his statement, Sgt Watt said one of the options available to police was to approach a subject and physically remove the knife from them, however he said that action could present a high degree of risk.
One of the overarching philosophies of policing was the use of appropriate force based on the circumstances, he said.
“We should be using no more force than is reasonably necessary to perform our duties,” Sgt Watt said.
The trial will continue on Monday.
