Footage shows woman pepper-sprayed by police during welfare check - escalating crisis unanswered by Minns Labor Government
Greens MP and solicitor Sue Higginson has renewed calls for the NSW Labor Government to urgently commit to police reform after body camera footage reported today has revealed yet another case of police violence during a welfare check.
A woman has commenced civil proceedings against NSW Police, after 7 police officers allegedly assaulted her, chased her, tasered her dog and pepper-sprayed her during a mental health welfare check in 2021 in Western Sydney.
The woman, who had been informed of $150,000 property damage her son was liable for by an insurance company and reportedly told an insurance agent that “I might as well kill myself”, was reported to NSW Police by the insurance agent.
This case follows recent reports that police pled guilty to filming and assaulting a naked mentally ill woman, and that a man was killed in police custody pleading for his life in Waterloo during a welfare check.
Greens MP and solicitor Sue Higginson says “7 police broke down a woman’s door, chased her out of her own home and pepper sprayed her without warning - all in the name of a welfare check,
“There is clearly a culture within NSW Police that normalises violence against women and mentally unwell people. Labor Police Minister Yamsin Catley must provide the community with the guarantee this will stop happening. She must issue a public warning to all police that this has got to stop and ensure that all police undergo mandatory comprehensive mental health training before this happens yet again,
“This woman was understandably upset when told she needed to pay a $150,000 bill on behalf of her son. The NSW Government should have trained mental health professionals to respond to welfare concerns, but instead they sent 7 uniformed police officers, with weapons and tools of pain, harm and death. This woman now has nightmares, she has anxiety, and she has PTSD from this incident. The NSW Police have caused this woman to become a victim of police assault,
“Police Minister Yasmin Catley has admitted on the record that she knows police escalate mental health crises. NSW Police have tacitly accepted the right person right care model, but we saw with the recent tragic death of Mr Colin Burling it’s not working. The only conclusion we can draw is that the Minns Labor Government are willing to accept continued police violence as a response to vulnerable members of our community experiencing mental health episodes,
“Police should not be the first responders to mental health and welfare checks. Where police are called they should not be in uniform or be carrying weapons visibly. Police detectives and other plain clothes police are sent out to catch criminals every day - it’s time we send plain clothes police when they are called to help vulnerable people,
“The continued inaction from Labor Premier Chris Minns and Police Minister Yasmin Catley is enabling more police violence against women and against people experiencing mental health episodes.
This is an escalating crisis of community safety. Poorly trained police officers are endangering lives and causing immense harm to multiple people, and the NSW Government must act.”