No Evidence Of Neglect Of Elderly Woman By Norwalk Cop: Police Chief

NORWALK, CT — A video that has been circulated on social media supposedly shows a Norwalk police officer last year neglecting to help an elderly woman struggling to climb a flight of stairs. But Norwalk Police Chief Jim Walsh on Friday said that following an internal investigation, no evidence was found that the officer acted inappropriately.

Below is Chief Walsh's full statement:

Earlier this week, I became aware of a video being widely shared on social media, which depicts the alleged neglect by a Norwalk Police Officer of an elderly woman who is ascending stairs using her hands. Upon receiving this video, the administration conducted a full investigation into this alleged mistreatment of the woman by a Norwalk Police Officer. Without any other context, it could appear that the elderly woman was improperly disregarded. However, after conducting a thorough investigation, which includes evidence of the woman being offered medical assistance, once by paramedics and a second time by the Norwalk Police, it is clear that there is no evidence of neglect.

On May 6, 2022, at 5:50 p.m., the day this video was taken, Norwalk Police Combined Dispatch received a report of a domestic violence assault at 10 Southwind Drive, the home of the elderly woman, between two other individuals, a middle-aged man and a woman. Several officers and a supervisor were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, they located and interviewed the victim of the assault, who advised Norwalk Police Officers at the scene that she experienced her hair being pulled and her head slammed into the wall while attempting to call 911. The victim was transported by ambulance to Norwalk Hospital due to her injuries, and the suspect, William Bateman was arrested and charged with Assault third-degree along with various drug charges after a large amount of contraband and paraphernalia was located in his residence.

From the video circulating, taken from the homeowner’s security system, a viewer can see the elderly woman on the stairs. What’s not viewed in the short video clips is how, earlier, officers had escorted that woman out of the roadway to a safe location when the situation was still dynamic between the victim and the suspect, which is visible on the officer’s body-worn video. The body-worn video also shows the woman walking unassisted through the exterior property and in the roadway, clearly shaken by the incident. The body camera footage then shows the woman entering the house via the front stairs, assisted by her hands, and then walking upright inside the house. However, what’s also not captured in the video is how the woman was offered medical assistance twice, first by paramedics and then by a police supervisor, and refused.

Furthermore, the investigation included an interview with the elderly woman’s family member, who stated that the woman had been navigating the exterior stairs with the use of her hands for several years. The interviewed family member on the scene on May 6, 2022, also stated that the woman was not in medical distress and mentioned that alterations were planned to add a railing to the stairs to assist the woman in ascending, but the repair was never made.

I can assure you that I am dedicated to ensuring my officers carry out their duties with the highest level of professionalism and care and I am committed to fully investigating any further allegations to the contrary. When evidence is presented to warrant disciplinary action, you can rest assured that I will take such action. However, in this case, I do not find any violations of the law or our departmental policies.

If you or someone you know is the victim of family violence there is help available. Contact the Domestic Violence Crisis Center 24-hour hotline at 203-588-9097 or call 911.