Police have admitted that it took them a long time to respond to a welfare call for an elderly man in poor health, but they are unsure if the 19-hour delay contributed to his death.
Upon arrival at the man’s southwest Sydney unit, the 85-year-old was still breathing, but unfortunately, he passed away after CPR attempts were unsuccessful.
Senior officers defended the delayed response on July 12, following a concerned citizen’s call regarding the well-being of the resident in Bankstown.
Critics argue that under-resourced police should not be responsible for welfare checks and mental health call-outs, citing several incidents involving vulnerable individuals.
Multiple investigations have been launched to determine the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.
The welfare call came in at 5:40 pm on July 4, but officers did not reach the man’s unit until 12:30 pm the next day.
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The resident was found with shallow breathing and could not be revived.
Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden of New South Wales (NSW) Police acknowledged that the Bankstown region command was one of the busiest in the state, refraining from passing judgment on the police response.
When questioned about the lengthy wait, Mr. McFadden admitted that it was indeed a significant delay.
He emphasized the need to understand whether the time between the call and the police response played a role in the man’s passing.
The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission and the force’s internal oversight body are overseeing the investigation into the incident.
Although the cause of death is pending determination, no suspicious circumstances have been identified.
The man, who lived alone, was dealing with health issues, the specifics of which were not disclosed by the police.
Greens MP Sue Higginson expressed that police should not be the primary responders for welfare checks and mental health crises due to their lack of proper training for such situations.
She criticized the Minns Labor government for the handling of the situation and emphasized the need for a reevaluation of response systems.
Recent incidents, including the tasering of a 95-year-old woman with dementia and the assault of a 92-year-old man, have raised concerns about police conduct.
Premier Chris Minns and Acting Police Minister Tara Moriarty highlighted the importance of ensuring prompt responses from emergency services when contacted.
With approximately 1500 vacancies in the police force in NSW, investigations into the incident will assess the prioritization of calls on the day.
