I was a NSW Police officer for ten years. This is the sick truth of what I saw… and why I warn my loved ones: ‘Don’t leave them alone with my corpse’

A former NSW policewoman has claimed she was bullied out of her job after blowing the whistle on allegations that cops were sharing offensive pictures of dead women.

Ex-senior constable Michelle Carlon, 34, claims former coworkers shared dozens of unauthorised photos of dead people on social media apps as part of a sick game.

The ten-year police veteran alleges officers would pass around photographs of dead women’s genitals, ‘rated their racks’ – their breasts – on Snapchat, as well as a series of other demeaning photographs.

Now she’s warned relatives if she dies: ‘Don’t leave them alone with my corpse.’

In an interview with Daily Mail Australia, Ms Carlon said: ‘The way we check bodies is, we do strip them and photograph their privates to check for any signs of sexual assault.

‘This is where cops are most likely alone with a corpse. It scares me to think how my body would be photographed and sent around the NSW Police.

‘Even when not on Snapchat, photographs are still being shared.

‘I’ve heard, “Mate look at this chicks v**” before showing a photo of a woman’s privates to each other and laughing, and they “rate their racks”.

Ex-Senior Constable Michelle Carlon, 34, claims her former co-workers have shared dozens of unauthorised photos of deceased people on social media apps as a twisted joke

The ten-year police veteran (pictured) alleges officers would pass around photographs of dead women’s genitals, ‘rated their racks’ – their breasts – on Snapchat 

‘One of the less awful snaps I was sent has a caption, ‘When you’re dead but your dog wants to play fetch.” 

‘It showed a picture of a little dog sitting on the chest of a deceased female.’

Ms Carlon claimed pictures of the dead bodies of children, the elderly and vulnerable women are among the disturbing images taken at crime scenes and shared to colleagues.

And she claims police bosses have ignored the allegations, as well as many others, for years.

After a rising number of complaints, NSW Police in October 2024 announced an independent review into a toxic culture in the force.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said that she had engaged former Victorian equal opportunity human rights commissioner Kristen Hilton to conduct it.

It will begin interviews within the next few months with former employees who have left the force within the past five years.

But Daily Mail Australia has spoken to multiple serving and former NSW Police officers who also alleged that inappropriate behaviour and misconduct is rife, with little being done when it’s officially reported.

Many were too scared to speak out publicly.

‘I stopped complaining about a lot of things as it was making it worse for me and I became a target,’ former crime scene investigator Kylie Kemp explained.

Kylie Kemp claimed that she witnessed similar inappropriate comments as Ms Carlon, she says there was also a twisted fascination with ‘gore,’ that was ‘rife and abhorrent.’

Ms Kemp claims constant harassment and bullying gave her PTSD leaving her no choice but to quit and has since caused ongoing issues including a brief period of homelessness.

‘It was morally and ethically wrong, but complaints woefully just get brushed off.

‘I wondered if they have bigger fish to fry or did they just not like me because I complained too much.’

Ms Kemp, 44, left the force in 2018 after 11 years of service.

But the review will only be open to officers who left in the past five years – meaning her experience over more than a decade of service won’t be heard.

Ms Kemp claims constant harassment and bullying gave her PTSD and left her with no choice but to quit.

She has suffered ongoing issues since, including a brief period of homelessness.

‘I can’t even explain how bad and how horrible some cops were,’ she said.

‘It was always young male coppers who had no respect for the dead. It’s making me shake now thinking about it because it’s so disgusting.’

While she witnessed similar inappropriate comments to Ms Carlon, she says there was also a twisted fascination with ‘gore,’ that was ‘rife and abhorrent.’

In October 2024, NSW Police officers were banned from using WhatsApp, social media or any messaging platforms other than SMS on work mobile phones under a controversial ruling by Commissioner Karen Webb. Pictured is Ex-senior constable Michelle Carlon

Ms Kemp says officers pass around photos via text and Facebook Messenger, and singled out one incident involving a teenager’s badly injured body.

‘It was always the most decomposed bodies or extremely gruesome accidents,’ she said.

‘A young boy died in a boating accident and his injuries were horrific. His photos were shared around like it’s funny.

‘The poor kid and his family did not deserve that disrespect.’

Ms Kemp’s role meant she was first to be called once the initial responders identified a crime scene.

‘Another job I did, an old man died in social housing and no one knew, so his body has decomposed terribly and he was slumped on the floor,’ she said.

‘Before I even got there two males constables were standing outside laughing, looking at their phone of the photo they had taken. I hadn’t even been inside yet.

‘I made them delete it and I reported it to their commander and nothing happened. Nothing ever happened. It was just brushed off.

Ms Carlon is blowing the whistle after considering how she would feel if it happened to a loved one (Pictured with her late father Kevin)

Ms Kemp is also aware of officers taking photos of genitals to pass around and is particularly haunted by an elderly lady who was targeted after being found in her bedroom with no underwear on

Ms Kemp is also aware of officers taking photos of genitals to pass around and is particularly haunted by an elderly lady who was targeted after being found in her bedroom with no underwear on.

She said she doesn’t understand why officers are allowed to have private phones while on duty.

‘They have radios – so why do they need their phones there at all?’ she said. 

In October, NSW Police officers were banned from using WhatsApp, social media or any messaging platforms other than SMS on work mobile phones under a controversial ruling by Commissioner Karen Webb.

Social media and other personal apps were blocked on work phones using security software.

The recommendation was one of several made by the LECC – the police watchdog, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission – = following an investigation into the conduct of an alleged drunk senior officer following a car crash in May.

At the time, the move was slammed by some cops who said banning them from apps would impede their work.

‘It means we are going to have to get burner phones now and carry two phones,’ one officer said.

Ms Carlon – who was medically discharged in 2023 after following her ‘childhood dream,’ into the job in 2013 at just 23 years old – was unsurprised by the backlash.

Ms Carlon who was medically discharged in 2023 after following her ‘childhood dream,’ into the job in 2013, when she was 23-years-old

‘It wasn’t the criminals I needed to watch – it was my colleagues who were cruel bullies,’ she said.

‘I tried to report it – but no one believed me. The psychologist cleared me to work but they let me go with no explanation. 

‘The police force needs to change from the top down. ‘It’s nothing like the loyal brotherhood I thought it would be.

‘I just thought, what if that was me, or my loved ones. It made me fearful of dying because I don’t want my crime scene photos sent around.

‘I don’t want anyone to be able to Snapchat my private parts.

Ms Carlon and Ms Kemp have launched legal battles with the NSW Police Force.

Daily Mail Australia approached NSW Police for comment. 

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