Two New South Wales Police officers have been charged with the assault of a 92-year-old man following an incident in Sydney’s south west in January.
Police officers responded to reports of a domestic incident at a home in Picton on Sunday, 21 January.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said during a media conference on Thursday the elderly man was arrested by the officers and allegedly received his injuries during the arrest.
A statement revealed he was taken to hospital with a fracture to his right elbow and significant bruising to his head and arms.
After an internal investigation, a male senior constable and a male constable, both attached to the South West Metropolitan Region, were served court attendance notices on Wednesday for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The constable is also facing a further charge of assault.
One of the officers will appear at Campbelltown Local Court on Tuesday 30 July.
The other will appear at Campbelltown Local Court on Tuesday 6 August.
Commissioner Karen Webb confirmed the officers were suspended from duty.
She said it “appears to be the case” the elderly resident may suffer from dementia.
“Police were called via triple 0 on two occasions, about seven minutes apart, from a resident, and that person may or may not have dementia – I think it’s likely that that person has dementia,” she said.
“Having said that, police officers are called to matters like this, triple 0 or otherwise – they don’t know what they’re walking into.”
She said the officers were wearing body cameras and she has viewed the footage but declined to comment on it.