Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll has confirmed she initially rejected a request to appear as a witness at a state inquiry into police culture and domestic violence.

WARNING: This story contains strong language that some readers may find offensive.

Public hearings for the Commission of Inquiry into Queensland Police Service (QPS) Responses to Domestic and Family Violence were meant to finish last Tuesday. But earlier this week, the inquiry confirmed the Commissioner would give evidence at an additional sitting today.

At the hearing, counsel assisting Ruth O'Gorman asked Commissioner Carroll to confirm that she was contacted by the Commission through her lawyers on August 4 and asked to appear as a witness, but she declined.

"That's correct," Commissioner Carroll said.

Ms O'Gorman told the hearing the commission contacted Commissioner Carroll again on August 11 and told her that her attendance was "required" and asked whether she needed a summons to be issued.

"I was content to come along," Commissioner Carroll responded.

The commission of inquiry, headed by Judge Deborah Richards, is examining cultural issues within the QPS, as well as its capability, capacity and structure to respond to domestic and family violence (DFV).

Ms O'Gorman questioned Commissioner Carroll over decisions relating to the resourcing and funding of the DFV and Vulnerable Persons Command, established in February last year, following the murder of Doreen Langham on the Gold Coast.

"Internally and externally, it was to really send a statement of the importance of that [responding to DFV]," Commissioner Carroll said.

She said she did not seek additional state funding to "beef up" the command's capability.

"It was funded within existing resources … the budget pressures were quite extraordinary … last year, I went well over what the budget requirement was."

Commissioner Carroll was asked about staffing levels within the DFV and Vulnerable Persons Command and conceded they were "inadequate."

The inquiry heard there were 38 permanent positions allocated to QPS media and PR, but only 27 positions allocated to the DFV and Vulnerable Persons Command.

Ms O'Gorman asked Commissioner Carroll: "Do you think that sends an appropriate message to the Queensland community about the seriousness with which the strategic responses to domestic and family violence are being pursued by the organisation?"

Commissioner Carroll replied: "It is not a good look for the public to see that, that's correct."

Commissioner Carroll said her focus had been to boost resources on the frontline.

"I think the community would be aware where we first respond to domestic violence is actually with our first response officers and my priority has been to put as many boots — so to speak — on the ground as possible," she said.

"And then when the numbers become available, allocate them to other areas of priority.

"We could do better [with resourcing] but it's an evolution," she said.

Commissioner Carroll acknowledged evidence heard during the inquiry suggesting there was a "widespread culture of misogyny, sexism and racism within the QPS".

However, she said she "did not accept" there were "entrenched or ingrained cultural issues".

Commissioner Carroll was also questioned about the results of a survey of Queensland police officers conducted for the inquiry.

Up to 40 per cent of respondents disagreed that senior officers were sending a positive message about the importance of eliminating domestic violence.

"I am surprised and disappointed in some ways to see that," Commissioner Carroll said.

"That figure is concerning because we have done an incredible amount of work at the senior level … to actually drive this as the priority and to make sure that this is communicated with our troops."

Inquiry exposes issues with police culture

More than 75 witnesses have given evidence in sittings in Brisbane and regional Queensland, including serving and retired officers, domestic and family violence service providers, experts, First Nations peoples and victim-survivors.

The inquiry heard serious allegations of misogynistic behaviour, policy and procedural failures, wrongly identifying victims and perpetrators and police misconduct.

One QPS officer broke down in tears as he detailed hearing male colleagues frequently making derogatory remarks about female survivors, such as "domestic violence is just foreplay" and "she's too ugly to be raped." 

The inquiry also heard police avoided or did not properly investigate domestic violence incidents, with "unconscious bias" a major issue.

It was told of one instance where a police officer reportedly did not investigate the suspicious death of a DV victim because she and her husband were a "pair of scumbags who lived in a sh*t area in a sh*t house".

Several witnesses, including Queensland's most senior officer in charge of DFV investigations, Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd, told the inquiry officers were "DV fatigued" and reporting high levels of burnout and psychological distress because they spent more than 40 per cent of their time responding to DFV matters.

Throughout the public hearings, a common theme has been the need for thorough and ongoing face-to-face training for police.

In a statement, a QPS spokesperson said the Ethical Standards Command "has commenced internal inquiries into specific allegations raised as part of the inquiry which have not previously been recorded".

"Officers are rightly expected to meet a high level of service and standard of conduct.

"We are committed to strengthening and improving our response to DFV matters to ensure the service is supporting all victims and holding perpetrators to account," the spokesperson said.

The inquiry was a key recommendation of the Women's Safety and Justice Taskforce, which found cultural problems "appear to be widespread" within the QPS.

It is due to hand down its final report in October.