Senior Constable Kristian White fired his stun gun at Clare Nowland, 95, in a treatment room at Yallambee Lodge aged-care home in the southern NSW town of Cooma during the early hours of May 17, 2023.
The great-grandmother, who had symptoms of dementia was holding a knife at the time. She fell backwards, hit her head, and died a week later in hospital.
White is facing a trial in the NSW Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to manslaughter.
NSW Police operational safety instructor William Watt on Friday said officers were trained that a subject armed with a knife presented a significant threat.
But officers were not trained that a knife should automatically warrant a gun or Taser being used, he said.
“Police are expected to evaluate the circumstances and select an appropriate tactical option based on the situation that confronts them,” Watt said.
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