Top cop sorry for force's racist actions, 'cover-ups'

Victoria's top cop has formally apologised for the state police force's racist actions towards Aboriginals and attempted cover-ups by officers. 

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton faced the Yoorrook Justice Commission on Monday to make a series of mea culpas on behalf of Victoria Police.

In his opening remarks, Mr Patton apologised for the force causing or contributing to trauma experienced by Aboriginal families in the state.

"I know Victoria Police has caused harm in the past and unfortunately continues to do so in the present," he told the state's first formal truth-telling inquiry.

Mr Patton said he does not believe the force was intentionally racist but conceded policing of Aboriginal people was influenced by systemic or structural racism.

"As a result of systemic racism, racist attitudes and discriminatory actions of police have gone undetected, unchecked, unpunished or without appropriate sanctions and have caused significant harm across generations of Aboriginal families," he said.

In the past five years, there have been complaints of alleged racism against 175 Victorian officers.

One officer was dismissed, another was transferred and one or two received good behaviour bonds, Mr Patton said.

Some were given lower-level sanctions and others resigned before their disciplinary matters could be heard internally.

Mr Patton denied Victoria Police had a practice of protecting officers' wrongdoing but apologised for past instances where members of the force were untruthful and attempted a cover-up.

The inquiry heard Victoria Police officers are not required to undergo a three-and-a-half-hour course on cultural awareness and the training won't be finalised until next year.

"Given the historic disadvantage and discrimination that has been involved, it sounds completely insignificant but it's a start," Mr Patton said.

A minute silence was observed after Mr Patton's apology before he was presented with an Aboriginal shield symbolising the expectation of change.

Yoorrook chair Eleanor Bourke said the force's actions over the past 170 years had been perpetuated with the intent of making First Nations people "disappear".

"Your presence today is important because if actions do not follow your apology, then what hope do we have? Your apology must bring real change," she said.

Yoorrook commissioners have condemned Indigenous people's over-representation in Victoria's justice system throughout the inquiry.

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes appeared before the probe on Friday, telling commissioners structural racism with colonial roots persisted.

The inquiry has previously raised major concerns about oversight processes of the force, with police accountability expert Tamar Hopkins last week saying there was "something inherently impossible about having the police investigating themselves".

Yoorrook is the first formal truth-telling inquiry into past and ongoing injustices against First Nations people in Victoria, as part of the state's treaty process.

Police Minister Anthony Carbines will also appear before the commission on Monday.