South Australia Police says no criminal charges will be laid against two officers involved in an incident that saw a taser deployed against a resident of an Adelaide care facility last year.
An investigation was launched following a complaint about two police officers using a taser and capsicum spray during an arrest at a residential care facility in Adelaide’s south.
The officers had attended the facility to assist paramedics on October 26.
Police said the man who was tasered was in his 60s and he suffered minor injuries.
In an update released on Wednesday, SA Police said it had completed the criminal investigation and referred the matter to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
It said the DPP had since reviewed the evidence and determined no criminal charges would be laid against the police officers involved.
The matter will now be reviewed by SAPOL’s internal investigation section and both police officers remain on administrative duties.
Following the incident, SA Police took the unusual step of releasing a statement about the disciplinary matter, after reviewing body-worn camera vision of the pair arresting the man at the care facility.
“Following assessment of the body-worn video footage from the two officers, on the face of it concerns were identified and a criminal and disciplinary investigation has commenced,” the statement said at the time.
The Police Complaint and Discipline Act would usually prohibit the disclosure or publication of information relating to a complaint.
But the police commissioner released information about the incident and complaint after determining there was public interest in doing so.
A commissioners inquiry was also undertaken.
SA Police release vision of arrest
Police also released vision of the arrest outside the care facility in November last year.
Media published CCTV of part of the arrest at the time, prompting SA Police to issue a warning that its use would breach laws governing disciplinary investigations.
But 24 hours later, police released a statement authorising its use.
“In consultation with the deputy commissioner, the commissioner of police has authorised the disclosure and publication of CCTV from outside the care facility only,” police said at the time.
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