Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy has apologised to Aboriginal Territorians for "the past harms and the injustices caused by members of the Northern Territory Police".

In a historic speech at the Garma festival in North-east Arnhem Land, Commissioner Murphy prefaced his speech by apologising in advance for any possible discomfort his words may cause, before saying he was committed to an elimination of racism in all levels of the NT Police.

"Throughout our 154 years of policing in the Northern Territory, we have aimed to work effectively with Aboriginal people and deliver just outcomes. However, we acknowledge that we have made mistakes," he said.

He said there have been times when the NT Police didn't protect Aboriginal people from harm.

"As the legislated protectors of Aboriginal people, and Territory Community, Northern Territory Police historically were required to defend Aboriginal people from harm," Commissioner Murphy said.

"I know that I can't change or undo the past, but as police commissioner alongside our police officers, we can commit to not repeat the mistakes and injustices of the past.

"Northern Territory Police need to be accountable for the past treatment of Aboriginal people."

He listed several historical events which he said have had negative impacts on the Indigenous community in the NT.

These include a series of punitive raids led by mounted police constable Constable William George Murray in 1928, which saw between 70 and 200 Walpiri, Anmatyerre and Kaytetye people killed; the Coniston massacre in 1928, which continues to have intergenerational trauma for the Warlpiri people after their dispersal from their traditional lands; and the 2007 intervention, which banned alcohol sales and consumption in a number of Aboriginal communities in a targeted response which still sees a high-level of continued trauma.

"I stand here today to publicly commit to lead that change, to transform relations between police and Aboriginal people," Commissioner Murphy said,

"Where I, as the police commissioner with all of our police officers, will identify and do what is necessary to make every effort to eliminate racism in the Northern Territory Police and make every effort to eliminate racist behaviours before it or when it occurs."

The NT police have been shrouded in accusations of serious and systemic racism for decades by Indigenous people in the NT, arguing they have been subject to over-policing, violence, death.

This has only been exacerbated in the wake of the death of Warlpiri-Luritja man Kumanjayi Walker, who was fatally shot three times by a police officer in 2019.

Zachary Rolfe, the officer in question, was found not guilty of all charges.

Kumanjayi Walker's cousin, Samara Fernandez-Brown, told National Indigenous Times earlier this year the existence of racism in the NT Police was something Indigenous community members had long known, and had been making repeated complaints about for years.

"For us, it has been something that has existed forever," Ms Fernandez-Brown said.

"I think when you work within the police force, it's hard for us to believe that anybody within the police force doesn't know that racism exists, because it comes across so obviously to us, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people."

The coronial inquest into the death of Mr Walker has revealed a number of racist elements in the NT police, with revelations the elite Territory Response Group (TRG) has a series of racist awards it gave out to officers.

Furthermore, despite knowing about them, Commissioner Murphy lied about his awareness of their existence and accepted he was "effectively gaslighting" people who had made numerous complaints about racism in the NT Police when he told reporters the existence of the certificate and other behaviour outlined in the inquest was something he had not seen before.

In his speech the commissioner said that NT police will provide better services for victims, witnesses, and impacted families, arguing whilst the challenge is hard, "the alternative is unacceptable".

"I understand the scale of the challenges we face, and I know that changing the culture within the agency will be tough," he said.

"But this is absolutely essential for the benefit of us all. We must give our very best, and that's why I am already dedicated to rolling up my sleeves and putting in the hard work to make it happen."

The NT police have appointed former South Australian Police Officer and lawyer, Leanne Liddle, as executive director of the community resilience and engagement command to spearhead change in the organisation.

The Arrernte woman is working on an anti-racism strategy, including having Indigenous language call centre operators and a 30 per cent Indigenous workforce, and said she thought the timing was right for the apology.

She told ABC Radio she aimed to improve police interactions with Aboriginal people by confronting prejudices and highlighting skills which will "defuse situations in an appropriate way".

"That, in turn, will stop the rate of Aboriginal people coming into contact with police, which then leads them into the justice system," she said, while acknowledging change will take time.