NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb says it "takes courage" not to view the body-cam footage of an elderly woman being tasered, and that she wants "a complete picture" of the incident before she looks at it.
Commissioner Webb on Monday defended her decision not to watch the moment 95-year-old Clare Nowland was tasered by an officer at an aged-care home in the NSW Snowy Mountains.
She said Ms Nowland, a dementia patient who was holding a knife, remained in a "dire" condition after falling and striking her head at the Cooma facility on Wednesday.
The state's top police officer said she had not seen the body-worn video of the officers involved, and the family did not want it released publicly.
Ms Nowland's family released a statement on Monday evening asking the media to respect her and her family's privacy, describing her as a "loving and gentle natured matriarch".
"While we fully understand the interest of the media, we kindly ask media representatives to respect the family's — and Clare's — privacy at this very difficult time," the statement said.
The police commissioner said she wanted to review the footage when she had a clearer picture of what had happened.
"I may have to review that in time as a decision-maker in this organisation," she said.
"But I want to do that when I have a complete picture of what happened.
"I don’t see any value in reviewing that footage now when I don't know … what else happened pre and post that incident.”
Police have said officers arrived at Yallambee Lodge to find Ms Nowland carrying a serrated steak knife, before she approached them "slowly" while using a walking frame.
Prognosis 'not very good'
Ms Nowland's family told ABC News she remained in a critical condition at Cooma Base Hospital.
In the statement, the family expressed "profound love and affection for our Mum, Nana and Great Grandmother Clare", saying they are standing together.
"Well respected, much loved and a giving member of her local community, Clare is the loving and gentle natured matriarch of the Nowland family," the statement said.
"This is a most worrying and distressing time for our family and we are united in our support for Clare and for each other.
"We thank everyone here in Cooma, the wider region and, in fact, the whole country and around the world for the outpouring of support for her and her ongoing battle with dementia — which touches so many."
Commissioner Webb said Ms Nowland had shown herself to be "resilient", but that her prognosis was "not very good".
The police boss defended her decision not to watch video of the incident.
"I think it takes courage not to view it. And I don’t think there’s any benefit in viewing it," she said.
"It concerns me that people want to see it. I'm not sure why people would want to see that."
The commissioner said the officer who tasered Ms Nowland was not currently working, and was being supported by colleagues.
"If there's any change to the investigation then I'll review his employment status."
Earlier, Commissioner Webb said she hadn't spoken to the officers involved, as it wouldn't be "appropriate".
She said a police inquiry would investigate the circumstances surrounding use of the taser.
"I'm a member of the community and a daughter of someone with dementia in aged care, and I think it's hugely concerning, but I need to be objective and take all the facts into consideration," she said.
Commissioner Webb said police call-outs to deal with dementia patients in these settings were "very rare".
"It will form part of the investigation about the circumstances that led to the aged-care facility, and or ambulance and others, calling police to that facility on Wednesday morning.
"It's so unusual. So really, we need to understand why.”
Taser not mentioned in original release
Commissioner Webb has faced questions about the fact the use of a taser was omitted from the original press release sent by police about the incident.
"A critical incident investigation has been launched after an elderly woman sustained injuries during an interaction with police," a police spokesperson said on Wednesday.
Commissioner Webb said notifying the family around the circumstances was the force's first priority.
"We had to be sensitive to that, and when we were able to talk about it, we did," she said.
She confirmed she saw the statement before it was released.
"The Nowland family deserve to learn from police what had happened, rather than hear about it in the media," she said.
Father Mark Croker, a parish priest at St Patrick's church, has been checking in on the family since the incident.
He told ABC Radio Sydney multiple generations of relatives had surrounded Ms Nowland's bedside to keep vigil.
"While unconscious, I think she would know we were around there and praying for her," he said, after conducting a mass in her honour.
