Norwalk’s police chief says there is no evidence a Norwalk police officer neglected an elderly woman in a video that is being circulated on social media.
Chief Jim Walsh said he became aware of the video earlier this week and he began an immediate investigation.
According to Walsh, the video was taken from a homeowner’s security camera on May 6, 2022.
Police had been called to the home of the elderly woman for the report of a domestic violence assault involving two other people at the home.
In the video, the elderly woman can be seen going up the front stairs and using her hands to help climb the stairs. One of the officers walks down the stairs past the woman.
According to Chief Walsh, the officers’ body-worn camera footage shows what happened before the security camera video. He says the body-cam video shows the same elderly woman walking unassisted on the property. It shows the woman woman going up the stairs assisted by her hands, and then walking upright in the house, Walsh said.
He said the woman was offered medical assistance from paramedics, and then by a police superviors, and both times the woman refused any help.
Police interviewed the elderly woman’s family member after the video surfaced, and the family member told them the woman had been climbing the stairs using her hands for several years. The family member confirmed the woman was not in medical distress at the time.
“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,” Walsh said in a statement. “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.”
