NSW Police has offered an apology of sorts after saying the force's resources are being diverted to co-operate with a landmark inquiry into historic gay-hate crimes.
A special commission of inquiry, in its second block of hearings, has been probing the police approach to suspected hate crimes against some of society's most vulnerable people, with a focus on Sydney between 1970 and 2010.
Of particular attention is the workings of Strike Force Parrabell, a three-year review of 88 deaths of LGBTQI members from 1976 to 2000.
Its final report in 2018 concluded 23 deaths remained unsolved.
More than a week after the inquiry got off to a rocky start, NSW Police counsel Mark Tedeschi read out a letter of support to Commissioner Judge John Sackar, on behalf of the force's commissioner Karen Webb.
"It was not anyone's intention to cause offence to you," he told the inquiry on Tuesday
"Every effort has been made and will be made to comply efficiently as possible (with the commission)."
He noted "the importance of your inquiry and the significance of your report to the LGBTIQ communities and the community at large", describing it as the "first of its kind in the world".
Mr Tedeschi said the "alarming number of hate crimes against LGBTIQ persons" should be "examined at the highest level", without any legal hindrance.
The statement comes after Mr Tedeschi said "considerable" resources had been diverted to answer summonses and produce documents for the commission.
A letter sent by police to the inquiry five days before officers were due to be questioned said because of the inquiry's orders "around 12 investigations and reviews by the unsolved homicide team have had to be placed on hold".
Judge Sackar said for police to allege deliberate interruption of unsolved homicide work was "offensive" and "frankly unacceptable".
Last week, Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Crandell, who commanded Parrabell from its inception, took the stand for several days and was grilled over startling histories of violence inflicted on LGBTIQ members, as well as inconsistencies and discrepancies marring the strikeforce.
The inquiry is hearing from the former head of the now-defunct Bias Crime Unit Sergeant Geoff Steer, who raised concerns internally about the lack of resources devoted to Parrabell.
