A former New South Wales police officer has been sentenced to six months in jail for lying to the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) about using drugs.

Former Tweed Heads detective inspector Shane Diehm, 49, was among former and serving officers recorded consuming what appeared to be hash cookies and ecstasy during a party weekend on the Gold Coast in 2010.

Diehm began crying as he was sentenced to a maximum one year in prison for lying about the event, with Magistrate Ellen Skinner saying politicians and police needed to fear being dishonest to watchdogs.

In Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney, Ms Skinner said the sentence gave her "no pleasure".

However, she said it was necessary to "scare" politicians and police officers into understanding there were consequences for lying to watchdogs such as the PIC and Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

"The only promise that is required for them [at the PIC or ICAC] is that they tell the truth," she said.

She said people would continue lying to commissions unless there was a "large stick" hanging over them and they knew if they got caught they would go to jail.

After handing down the sentence, Ms Skinner said she understood there would be an appeal.

She said she would grant Diehm bail once the appeal was filed, adding it was unlikely he would spend his first night in jail tonight.

Diehm appeared before the PIC in October 2011 to answer questions about the drug-fuelled boys' weekend on Queensland's Gold Coast the year before.

Diehm initially denied ever consuming drugs but eventually admitted he had.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of giving false information.

However, he said he did not lie to the PIC when he claimed he "didn't remember" seeing other former and serving cops use drugs that weekend.

Ms Skinner rejected that, saying there was no medical evidence to explain his selective memory failure.

"My conclusion is this was a highly memorable weekend," she said.

ABC/AAP