TORONTO — Canada's police chiefs are apologizing to LGBTQ communities for their opposition to decriminalizing homosexuality in the late 1960s.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police made the formal apology in a statement issued online Thursday.

Chief Bryan Larkin, president of the association, said it was the culmination of two years of research and consultation after a member of the organization pointed out that the group publicly opposed amending the Criminal Code to decriminalize homosexuality in 1968.