Police officer who wore obscene patch lucky to keep job, commissioner says

The WA police commissioner says an officer caught with a "despicable" patch on his uniform is "very lucky to have his job".

The ABC yesterday revealed details of an incident in which Constable Lachlan Costello wore the phrase "FOLD C**TS" on his vest while arresting a 16-year-old in Geraldton in September 2024.

It prompted a swift rebuke from Police Minister Reece Whitby, who said he would be seeking an explanation from the commissioner.

"There is no explanation that I would ever, in any world, think that that is appropriate behaviour," Commissioner Col Blanch told 102.5 ABC Perth.

Mr Blanch said the constable had been held "at rank" as part of a disciplinary sanction imposed in the wake of the incident, but he remained a serving officer.

The disciplinary action also addressed him turning off his body-worn camera against police policy,

"If he does one thing wrong he will lose his job," the commissioner said.

"He's on a very short leash."

'Sporting term'

Mr Blanch said he understood the phrase on the patch referred to "rough play" in rugby.

Colloquially it can refer to hitting someone so hard they collapse.

"This individual, I'm told, is a sporting coach of young people, plays sport with lots of kids in the community, and it's a sporting term," he said.

Video obtained by the ABC showed Constable Costello handcuffing the teenager and sitting him in a car to question him, before turning off his body worn camera 90 seconds later.

He later appears to notice a colleague's camera recording, before momentarily raising his hand to obscure it.

"I put a lot of pressure on my police to solve crimes, and in no way should they ever choose to … undertake processes that are against our policy and against the way that they should do their job," Mr Blanch said.

"You never take an inappropriate pathway, you should always act professionally, and when you don't you will be investigated and there will be disciplinary sanctions up to and including sacking.

"He came very close to that mark."

The commissioner rejected claims by the Aboriginal Legal Service that officers frequently turned off body worn cameras, but promised to investigate the issue if proof was put forward.