Eddie McGuire's disparaging comments about journalist Caroline Wilson have prompted Victoria Police to fire off an internal memo warning officers such comments "are not to be taken lightly".
Deputy Commissioner Wendy Steendam's 335-word note, provided to AAP, highlighted the parallels between the incident and Victoria Police's own issues.
A December 2015 report by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission found a high prevalence and tolerance of sexual harassment and sexist practices targeting women within Victoria Police.
"Given our own challenges identified through the VEOHRC review, some within our organisation won't see a problem with the comments," Ms Steendam wrote.
"So let's be very clear. Here we have an example of where humiliation and a lack of respect are played out in public."
McGuire, North Melbourne chairman James Brayshaw and fellow commentator Danny Frawley all took shots at Wilson in a conversation on Triple M before the Queen's Birthday match between Collingwood and Melbourne.
The Collingwood president led the charge, saying he would donate $50,000 if Wilson next year was held under water in a charity ice pool.
The deputy commissioner's note to officers, posted on a Victoria Police online internal forum, noted McGuire's initial apology missed the mark in calling the comments a joke and he did not intend to cause harm.
Ms Steendam said it was not intention that mattered, but impact, pointing out the VEOHRC review and the Royal Commission into Family Violence highlighted the need for community attitudes to shift.
"I can tell you that they are not just words and it's not to be taken lightly," she wrote.
"If we allow a permissive environment to exist, then people will continue to be demeaning to women."
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