A 91-year-old woman had a Taser and balaclava pointed at her head by police after an argument with her carer.
Metropolitan Police said the elderly woman was ‘in distress’ and allegedly spat at an officer when they were called to her home in Peckham, southeast London, on May 9.
She was handcuffed, had a mesh hood placed over her head and a Taser trained on her before being taken to hospital without being arrested.
Watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating what happened.
One officer has already been suspended and not permitted to use the Taser during the investigation, and five other officers have been placed on restricted duties so they have no contact with the public.
A family member of the woman was allowed to view footage of what happened from video cameras carried by the officers.
Det Chief Sup Seb Adjei-Addoh said: “There are limits to what I can say regarding this incident as it is now under investigation by the IOPC Fund. However, it is clear that it will have been a harrowing experience for the lady involved and that the circumstances raise a number of questions that need to be answered.
“While I do not wish to prejudge this process, officers know that they must be able to justify any use of force or coercion and we will expect that from the officers involved in this incident.
“They also know that we expect them to be compassionate and adapt their approach in real time to the circumstances they face.
“I am committed to transparency regarding this incident. I am already in contact with our key partners and will keep them and those directly affected informed of the progress of our requests.”
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