World · East Asia & Pacific · 6 hrs ago
Calls to stand down WA officer over allegations involving Aboriginal teenagers
Western Australian officer Lachlan Costello faces scrutiny over two incidents involving Aboriginal teenagers in Geraldton.
In 2024, he arrested a 16-year-old while wearing a patch with an obscene phrase on his uniform.
Footage and an account from the Aboriginal Legal Service of WA say Costello offered the teenager bail in exchange for information, then switched off his body camera.
WA Police said its internal affairs unit investigated and gave Costello a managerial notice for the patch, the bail offer, questioning the teenager without notifying a responsible adult and breaching camera rules.
In a separate incident early the following year, the legal service said Costello pressed his knee into an Aboriginal boy’s back for about half a minute as the boy said he could not breathe.
The legal service’s chief executive said complaints about both incidents had gone nowhere, while Brad Pettit called for Costello to be stood down immediately.
Police described the patch matter as isolated and said it was removed before Costello attended his next incident.
Western Australian Constable Lachlan Costello is facing calls to be stood down over allegations involving Aboriginal teenagers.
The allegations include pinning a boy to the ground with a knee and wearing an obscene patch during a separate arrest.
The Aboriginal Legal Service of WA has called for the incidents to be investigated and criticised the police response.
WA Police said its internal affairs unit investigated the patch incident and served Costello a managerial notice.
The allegations were described at a parliamentary committee hearing, and body-worn camera footage captured parts of the incidents.
- Who
- Constable Lachlan Costello and two Aboriginal teenagers are involved. The Aboriginal Legal Service of WA has called for action.
- What
- Costello is accused of using a knee to pin a boy down and wearing an obscene patch during another teenager’s arrest.
- When
- The patch incident was in September 2024. The knee-press incident allegedly occurred early the following year.
- Where
- Geraldton, in Western Australia.
- Why
- The Aboriginal Legal Service says the allegations warrant an investigation and that Costello should be stood down.
Aboriginal Legal Service of WA
WA Police
Response to allegations
Aboriginal Legal Service of WA
The service called for Costello to be stood down immediately and said the incidents should be investigated.
WA Police
Police said the patch matter was an isolated incident and that Costello received a managerial notice.
Patch and its context
Aboriginal Legal Service of WA
The service described the patch as despicable and said there was no place for such conduct in the police force.
WA Police
Police said the phrase was common among local youths and Costello was well-regarded by local youth.
Costello wore the patch while detaining a 16-year-old in Geraldton on suspicion of burglary.
Costello allegedly pinned an Aboriginal boy to the ground with his knee.
Peter Collins described the allegations at a parliamentary committee hearing.
- Officer
- Constable Lachlan Costello
- Patch incident
- September 2024
- Location
- Geraldton, Western Australia
- Teenager’s age
- 16
- Police response
- Costello was served a managerial notice for the patch incident and other alleged conduct
2 sources
What people are saying
It is despicable. It is totally inappropriate, and it speaks of a willingness to engage in violence, in this instance, against Aboriginal children
Police should never be offering an inducement of being given bail in order to extract admissions from somebody.
Who knows what that managerial intervention actually constituted? I suspect it was a slap over the wrist, and nothing more