A police professional standards investigation into the ACT's first Taser-related death has found an officer's decision to use the weapon on a self-harming man was "a reasonable and proportionate" response to the situation.
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A coronial inquest into the death of Canberra man Anthony Caristo resumed on Tuesday.
Mr Caristo, 54, died at his Waramanga home in October 2017 after being Tasered by Acting Sergeant Nathan Macklin, who last year told the inquest that using the weapon was the only option to stop Mr Caristo harming himself and to get him help. He said Mr Caristo was covered in blood and stabbing himself in the leg, having already severed one of his own fingers.
A port-mortem report found the cause of death to be "cardiac arrest in a person exhibiting features of excited delirium syndrome and self-harm, who died following application of [a Taser] and use of methamphetamine".
On Tuesday, Australian Federal Police Detective Sergeant Wayne Brayshaw told the inquest a police professional standards investigation had concluded that Acting Sergeant Macklin's actions were justified.
"His actions were reasonable and proportionate in what he was faced with at the time," Detective Sergeant Brayshaw told the inquest.
He said he was satisfied police did what they could to prevent Mr Caristo's death.
Detective Sergeant Brayshaw said he had, however, recommended that the Australian Federal Police expand the training provided to officers on Tasers.
He recommended that all sworn officers receive training in areas including how people responded to being Tasered and the impact of Tasers on vulnerable people. This included those who may be suffering from "excited delirium", which is often caused by long-term drug use or mental illness.
Intensive care paramedic John Killeen also gave evidence at the inquest on Tuesday, saying his crew arrived at Mr Caristo's home after being called to "an amputated finger case".
Mr Killeen said it wasn't until paramedics reached the front door that they were informed by a police officer that Mr Caristo had been Tasered.
He said when he entered the house, Mr Caristo was handcuffed and lying on the floor.
"The first noticeable thing, of all things, was it was a timber-type floor, smeared thinly with blood across the entire floor," Mr Killeen said.
"He was covered in blood, virtually all over him."
Mr Killeen said he also noticed blood smeared on the walls, and "large lacerations" on parts of Mr Caristo's body including his wrists and arms.
He said he could not immediately see Mr Caristo's face when he entered the house, and it would have also been difficult for the police officers in the house to see it from where they were positioned.
"The way the police were acting inside indicated to me that they believed he was conscious at the time," Mr Killeen said.
As Mr Killeen moved closer, he noticed "a dark discolouration" of Mr Caristo's chest and asked officers to help roll Mr Caristo over, revealing the discolouration extended to his face.
Realising Mr Caristo was in cardiac arrest and not breathing, Mr Killeen asked the police officers to take off the handcuffs and started resuscitation efforts, which lasted about 20 minutes but proved unsuccessful.
Mr Killeen said he was satisfied paramedics did all they could to save Mr Caristo.
"When I think about it, and when we have talked about it, we thought there was nothing more that could have been done at the time," he said.
The inquest, before Coroner James Stewart, continues.
