Cell woman was ‘pushed’

By Nicole Williams
A SENIOR policeman has defended a sergeant who ‘pushed’ a woman with his foot in the Dandenong Police Station cells, saying his actions were ‘reasonable’.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Derek Lamb said the incident happened two years ago but the woman had only just made a complaint, sparking an Ethical Standards Department (ESD) investigation.
“There hasn’t been an ESD investigation to date and that was because there hadn’t been a complaint,” Mr Lamb said.
There has now been a complaint and it’s been two years so we have now launched an investigation.”
The CCTV footage shows a small group of officers standing outside the cell as the drunken woman attempts to walk out.
A male officer sprays her with capsicum spray before pushing the woman in the back with his foot.
She was left alone for 16 minutes before police returned to provide capsicum spray aftercare.
Mr Lamb said the action was appropriate in the circumstances and potentially avoided a ‘violent confrontation’.
“What we’re seeing in the footage is a response to a woman that was drunk, was in custody, misbehaving in the cells about to attempt self-harm,” Mr Lamb said.
“There was no kick involved. It was a push with the foot which is consistent with police training.”
“In a jail environment, which is a very difficult environment to work in, the last thing we want is a violent confrontation,” he said.
“She is not suffering from obvious distress and was not injured so I reject any notion it was assault.”
However Mr Lamb admitted the provision of aftercare following a spray with capsicum needed to be addressed.
The woman was left for 16 minutes before police helped her with after care.
“She didn’t self-administer after care and police have gone in, albeit 16 minutes after, and administered after care,” he said.
“We need to look at that as it should be provided in a more timely manner.”
In May last year a man died of hypothermia after being released from the Dandenong Police Station by officers.