ACT Policing has come under fire after an officer's body-worn camera captured her taunting a detained 13-year-old boy using privileged information about his family.
The acting Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People called the comment "appalling" and said a critical disconnect between high-level policing strategy and frontline reality was damaging relationships with local youth.
The incident in question occurred on May 21, outside McDonald's in Weston, after police said they received reports of teenagers carrying knives.
Police said responding officers saw three boys at the location matching reported descriptions and ran after two of them, aged 13, before detaining and searching them.
No knives were found, police confirmed.
One of the boy's mothers told The Canberra Times: "They run because they're scared [of police] ... they've seen their [relative] being arrested."
She claimed one of the boys, who were all previously banned from that McDonald's, was put in handcuffs at the scene.
During their detention a responding officer was recorded saying words to the effect of: "Why don't you get your brother to come pick you up in a stolen car?"
It's understood the officer was referring to their older teenage brother who previously faced an assault charge.
The boys were then released into the care of the mother who complained about the officer's comment.
The mother said an ACT Policing superintendent called her that evening to apologise and assured her it would not happen again.
Officers involved in the incident were "spoken to" about expected professional behaviour, a police spokesman said.
This masthead has confirmed the May 21 incident was not the first time a police officer had detained one of the boys.
In November 2025, months after the ACT raised the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14, an officer patrolling South Point Tuggeranong arrested the boy who was 12 years old at the time.
Police said it was because officers saw a group of youths entering the shopping centre while appearing to consume cannabis.
"The youths were engaged and three teen boys were asked to provide their names to allow exclusion directions to be provided. Two of the teens complied, however a third boy refused to do so and he was subsequently arrested," an ACT Policing spokesman said.
Police said the boy was walked out of the centre and was "unarrested" after his identity was confirmed.
The boy's mother said he had been embroiled by police interactions, feeling traumatised and helpless.
Acting Commissioner Barb Causon said a number of young people have been profiled because of family connections, due to relatives "known to police" in the adult system.
"For that police officer to to name his older brother ... that is just appalling. It's profiling that boy based on their knowledge of his older brother ... It's not OK," Ms Causon said.
"I'm always concerned that when our young people get into trouble or need support, they are not going to call police because they do not trust them."
In an annual report released in March, her office raised concerns about incidents involving professionals using inappropriate language with children.
"I've had a previous experience with a corrections officer saying to a young person in the cells waiting to go up to court, 'Oh, not surprised to see you here. I know who your father is'," the acting commissioner said.
Ms Causon said police, corrections officers, and Bimberi Youth Justice Centre staff must as professionals uphold children's rights and role-model respect without engaging in inappropriate language or racism.
While ACT Policing leadership wanted to work with the community to build bridges, Ms Causon said there were general duties officers who needed better training.
"I don't condemn all police because there's some really good police out there who work well with our young people, who do their very best to support them... but it's not consistent enough."
A police spokeswoman said engagement with ACT's First Nations community was a high priority and they were taking significant steps to improve police interactions with, and outcomes for, First Nations people.
"ACT Policing does not tolerate racism, or unacceptable treatment of our First Nations communities. Any such instances are taken very seriously and responded to appropriately," the spokeswoman said.
She said police had a team of First Nations Liaison Officers, who worked to strengthen community relationships, which would be expanded from four to seven members.
