Four gay police officers have won a "monumental" legal victory against the NSW Police Force, after a tribunal found homophobia drove their boss to make false complaints accusing them of drug taking and "loose morals" which triggered an undercover investigation.

Shane Housego, Christian McDonald, Chris Sheehy and Steven Rapisarda join lawyer Nicholas Stewart (centre) to lodge papers at the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal in Sydney. Credit:Janie Barrett

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal upheld the "serious" allegations that Superintendent Simon Hardman was motivated "either consciously or unconsciously" to make the false complaints because of the men's sexuality while in charge of Newtown Local Area Command.

The victims, Christian McDonald, Christopher Sheehy, Shane Housego and Steven Rapisarda, described Friday as a "monumental day".

"It's been a very long and drawn out process, it's been costly in so many ways: emotionally, financially and physically," Mr Rapisarda said.