Police were called to
a care home to deal with an aggressive 90-year-old woman who was refusing to
take her medicine.
Details of the
incident emerged in posts on Twitter from Sgt Harry Tangye, who was on duty in
an armed response vehicle.
He was sent to the
nursing home after helping rescue a missing 16-year-old girl who was found by
dog walkers in Ludwell Valley Park, Exeter, on Friday night.
The woman was
confused due to an infection, was refusing to take antibiotics and was acting
aggressively. Staff called the police as they were unable to cope with her.
Sgt Tangye helped
calm her, ensured the care home staff were safe and left the resident in the
care of a doctor.
Officers in the armed
response vehicle team cover the whole of the Devon and Cornwall force area.
The incident led to a
debate on social media about use of police resources.
A former police
officer questioned why police were sent to deal with what appeared to be a
medical issue.
Harry Tangye is an Armed Response Sergeant with Devon & Cornwall
Police
Sgt Tangye said the
90-year-old was "very strong" and was pulling around three "very
slight" women staff.
He said at first the
woman refused to believe the police were genuine. But he helped to gently calm
her and ensured the nursing home staff were safe. He said it was an unusual
case and the care home was "lovely".
He said in a Twitter
update about the callout at 10.20pm on Friday: "Currently with a very
strong 90 yr old lady at a lovely care home! Urine infection caused her to be
confused and aggressive, bless her".
In response to
questions from Twitter users, Sgt Tangye explained: "...their night turn
were not able to cope whilst she was so aggressive. All ok now. No criticism of
them."
The woman was left in
the care of Devon Doctors.
Former police officer
and commentator on police issues Peter Kirkham questioned the decision to call
police.
He replied to Sgt
Tangye: "What on EARTH are a care home thinking of, calling police to
her???"
He added:
"Police are NOT there to cover for the utter incompetence of private
corporations."
And retired public
sector worker Ian Bishop said: "No way should police be involved at any
stage in this. Ridiculous".
Police Community
Support Officer Kirsty Down, based at Saltash in Cornwall, said callouts to
care homes were "not uncommon" as a result of low staffing and most
did not have a restraint policy. The days were gone when police just dealt with
crime, she added.
She agreed with Mr
Kirkham that the incident should be referred to senior management at the care
home.
Ex-policeman Russ
McPhillips said: "Police shouldn't deal with this. Shameful decimation of
social care."
Others praised Sgt
Tangye for the way he dealt with the situation. Terri Ann Jackson tweeted:
"Fantastic work".
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