Almost 30 gay men lost their lives to homophobic killers during a violent and dark period of Sydney's history and the NSW Police Force is considering issuing a formal apology to the victims.
Police, today, released the findings of Strikeforce Parrabell, which found eight deaths between 1976 and 2000 were the result of gay-hate crimes.
The NSW Police Force has vowed to never let the dark period of history repeat itself.
A further 19 men are suspected to have died in similarly brutal attacks while another 25 could not be ruled out, Parrabell concluded.
Five of the suspected gay-hate killings remain unsolved and 23 of the 88 cases are now back with the unsolved homicide unit.
The violence reached a bloody crescendo in the late 1980s and early 1990s fuelled by a "moral panic" triggered by the HIV epidemic.
Twelve recommendations have been made by NSW Police to improve how the force investigates potential gay-hate crimes, but a peak LGBTIQ body questions if reforms go far enough.
"We accept that there were mistakes made. We accept there are improvements required. We accept that we can learn from the past and we can do better," Assistant Commissioner Tony Crandell told reporters in Sydney at the official release of the findings.
"We believe that the community expectation of police today and always is to conduct thorough investigations when it comes to the death of somebody, whether that be from a family or community perspective, and we must live up to that standard.
"Please understand that Strike Force Parabell is not a comment upon the level of violence or hatred or motivations against the LGBTIQ or gay-lesbian community in the '70s, '80s, '90s," Asst Com Crandell said.
HIV support organisation ACON welcomed Parrabell's findings, but the group's CEO Nicolas Parkhill said the recommendations essentially reinforce existing policies, and he called for police to bolster the Bias Crimes Unit to protect the LGBTIQ community.
Mr Parkhill wants a broader independent review into the criminal justice system's handling of the under-siege community in the violent decades.
"Concerns have been raised in the past about whether the police can objectively review themselves and their practices," he said.
Asst Com Tony Crandell vowed to never let history repeat itself. Parrabell stopped short of taking up ACON's recommendation of an apology - but Mr Parkhill reignited the call.
"This would send a positive sign to any same-sex attracted couple who are still too frightened to hold hands in many places around the state for fear of violence," he said.
AAP understands police leadership will consider an apology.
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