‘Unconscious racism’ behind NSW police officer’s decision not to call ambulance for Indigenous prisoner, watchdog finds

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission has released its report into the case of an Aboriginal man who repeatedly banged his head while in police custody. Photograph: Melanie Foster/AAP

A New South Wales police officer’s decision not to call an ambulance after an Indigenous man was found self-harming in a prison cell was driven by “unconscious racism”, the police watchdog has found.

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (Lecc) released its report on the incident on Monday. It found that the senior police officer – who was custody manager responsible for detainee welfare – had engaged in “serious misconduct”.