A police force's attitude towards a dead man's family had at times "smacked of institutional arrogance", according to the police complaints commissioner.
Jim Martin investigated Northern Constabulary's handling of grievances raised by relatives of Kevin McLeod.
Mr McLeod's body was found in Wick harbour in 1997. His family have consistently maintained he was killed and that police mishandled the probe.
Chief Constable Ian Latimer denied the claim that the force had been arrogant.
Mr McLeod's uncle Allan McLeod urged police to re-investigate the case and called on the chief constable to resign.
The 24-year-old's family approached the commissioner in June and the findings of his probe into how police handled their complaints have now been released.
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Mr Martin said his report was highly critical of the force, as well as some of the McLeod family's interaction with Northern Constabulary in pursuit of their complaint.
Among his recommendations was one suggesting that Mr Latimer meet Mr McLeod's parents and apologise unreservedly to them for the way he and the force have handled their grievances about the police.
Mr Martin said: "Northern Constabulary appears at times to have lost sight of the fact that it is dealing with a bereaved family who are looking for answers to difficult questions.
"I believe the attitude taken toward this family, who I also criticise in my report, has smacked at times of institutional arrogance and has on occasion been influenced by personal feelings rather than professional judgement."
'Force's apology'
Responding, Mr Latimer said he had agreed to meet the family.
He said: "I have offered to meet with the family to underline the force's apology and I have now intimated this to the family.
"I hope that by doing this the force can rebuild its relationship with the family.
"I do refute, however, the comment by Mr Martin that Northern Constabulary is in any way 'institutionally arrogant', and certainly not in regard to its dealings with Mr and Mrs McLeod."
Allan McLeod said Mr Latimer should sit down with the family and listen to who they believed killed Mr McLeod.
In February, the McLeods gained access to parts of a 2003 report by Chief Constable Andrew Cameron of Central Scotland Police into how complaints were handled using freedom of information legislation.
Sections of this report were also critical of the force.
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