The former representative from New South Wales Police Force revealed to the public a dark institutional culture that pushed her to order her family members to watch over her body in case she died.
Michelle Carlon finished her first decade as a new south Wales police force member before she revealed playing deadly games between officers as the reason she left her once beloved job.
Carlon reported that various colleagues at the force regularly exchanged unauthorised photographs of naked deceased women who had lost their dignity because fellow officers found these pictures amusing.
“The way we check bodies is, we do strip them and photograph their privates to check for any signs of s3xual assault,” she explained in an interview.
The investigation of a corpse happens most frequently without any oversight by other police which leaves the officer alone with the deceased. She said I am terrified about the prospect of having my exposed body sent to all members of the NSW Police force through photographs.
The reported claim shows how the workplace demonstrates widespread misogynistic behaviour along with decadence while missing all proper respect for deceased persons.
Carlon alleges the photos would be shared through apps like Snapchat, often captioned with degrading jokes, while officers “rated their racks” — a slang term referring to women’s breasts — as though they were part of a game.
“One of the less awful snaps I was sent had a caption, ‘When you’re dead but your dog wants to play fetch.’ A small dog was depicted sitting beside the deceased female’s chest in that picture.
No other former officer speaks against the department more strongly than Carlon.
The crime scene investigator Kylie Kemp who departed from her police career in 2018 confirmed the situation while revealing her teammates shared photographs of children who perished together with elderly victims and seriously hurt bodies.
Kemp expressed she cannot describe the extent of how awful certain officers were during her time in the department. “It was always young male coppers who had no respect for the dead.”
The experience of constant harassment at work caused PSTD that eventually made her homeless after leaving the force where she had worked for 11 years.
Two male constables waited outside laughed while viewing a photograph of a deceased elderly person who passed alone. She reported it. Nothing happened. It was brushed off.
Commissioner Karen Webb planned to have the NSW Police Force reviewed independently through an investigation process to investigate claims of internal s3xism, bullying and misconduct in October 2024.
The investigation headed by Kristen Hilton will conduct interviews with departed officers who left police service recently while specifically omitting Kemp from this stage of research.
The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) triggered new police commandments that banned officers from using WhatsApp or social media applications through work phones for official duties.
Kemp and Carlon agree that the leadership must transform the entire system in order to achieve real change.
The person requiring supervision during Carlon’s time with the force were not criminals but rather her cruel bulldogged colleagues she stated.
She received medical discharge in 2023 following her 23rd birthday when she entered the police service to fulfil her dream.
This experience has turned her into a person who doubts the same institution she once trusted and her message to her family now expresses concern for her safety.
They should never stand unattended by my body upon my death.The police force faces two sets of legal action from Carlon and Kemp.
Featured Image Credit: (@Sourced) (@gorodennkoff//Shutterstock)
