Martin Hewitt, chair, extended the apology to the families who experienced "pain and suffering" in the years following.
The statement was made at the launch of a report outlining the commitments of senior officers to learn from the mistakes made at Hillsborough 34 years ago.
Part of it includes “openness and candour” and to not “seek to defend the indefensible" after public tragedies.
Chief executive of the College of Policing, Andy Marsh, said a new code of ethics will be issued for consultation in the next few weeks.
Marsh also issued an apology. “Policing has profoundly failed those bereaved by the Hillsborough disaster over many years and we are sorry that the service got it so wrong," he said.
"Police failures were the main cause of the tragedy and have continued to blight the lives of family members ever since.
"When leadership was most needed, the bereaved were often treated insensitively and the response lacked coordination and oversight.”
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Anyone struggling with anything related to this news can contact the Hillsborough Suvivors Support Alliance.