NSW: Police had tasers but no one to use them
21 Dec 2008 3:03 PM
SYDNEY, Dec 21 AAP - A junior police officer who shot a knife-wielding woman in western Sydney was not qualified to use a Taser stun gun, despite the weapon being available at her police station.
Police said they were called to an address on Iron St in North Parramatta at about 1.30am (AEDT) on Sunday, with reports a 48-year-old woman was threatening a man with a knife.
When they arrived, it's alleged officers were themselves threatened by the woman.
Police failed to subdue the woman with capsicum spray, and when she allegedly attacked them again, a female officer fired a number of gunshots, police said.
The 48-year-old woman was seriously injured and was taken to Westmead Hospital where she remains in a serious but stable condition.
The 23-year-old man was taken to the same hospital and treated for a neck laceration, sustained in the initial confrontation.
It is not known whether the pair knew each other but both were local residents.
Acting Assistant Commissioner and Acting North-West Region Commander Karen Webb said no officers on duty at Parramatta Local Area Command that night were trained to use tasers.
"There weren't officers on duty last night that were trained in the Taser ... and certified," Asst Comm Webb told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.
"Tasers have been issued to each of the 80 local area commands across the state and it's a question of those police that have been trained and certified being available at the time to be able to use them."
Asst Comm Webb would not comment on how many times the gun was fired or where the woman was shot, except to say the situation escalated quickly.
"Police have a range of tactical options and they had already tried to use capsicum spray but that had failed to subdue the woman," Asst Comm Webb said.
"The situation escalated so quickly that the options that were taken at the time were based on the circumstances at the time."
The matter is now being investigated by a critical incident team and the policewoman is expected to return to duty soon.
"She's gone home to rest as she was on night shift and there's no indication that she won't be returning to duty in the near future," Asst Comm Webb said.
