Senior constable who Tasered Clare Nowland suspended

The senior constable who used a Taser on 95-year-old dementia patient Clare Nowland has been suspended from duty with pay as investigations continue.

Nowland, who weighs 43 kilograms, was left in a critical condition when she was hit by the Taser in the early hours of Wednesday at the Yallambee Lodge aged care facility in Cooma.

The 33-year-old senior constable attached to Monaro Police District was one of the officers who responded to a call about 4am that Nowland was holding a knife while using her walker.

Nowland, a great-grandmother, is in a critical condition in hospital with family and friends by her side.

The rate of pay for a senior constable starts at about $86,000, but can go up with experience and benefits.

The suspended officer who has about 12 years’ experience once unlawfully detained a suspect during an encounter in which his shift partner allegedly threatened to break the man’s legs, the Herald revealed.

The 2020 incident earned a rebuke from a “horrified” Canberra magistrate who said the conduct of the two officers was “outrageous and “unprofessional”.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb spoke earlier on Tuesday on Today on Nine confirming she was aware of the senior constable’s history.

“Part of this investigation around the Mrs Nowland matter will take into account the officer’s history ... it’ll be a very complete, full investigation and an urgent review into that officer’s history and his current work status,” she said.

Webb stood by her decision to not watch the officer’s body camera footage of Nowland being Tasered, saying she might watch it once a full investigation was completed.

“Watching that video now is not going to make the investigation go any faster,” she said.

“I can understand the criticism [of not watching the video] but it’s a bit voyeuristic ... I think the public want to see the video but it’s not going to change the outcome.”

The investigation was one Webb did not “want to prejudice” by watching the video.

“It might taint my view,” the commissioner said, confirming she heard through various channels that the video did not look good.

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