IBAC hearing into Ballarat police brutality allegations shown video of officer kicking distressed, handcuffed colleague in custody

FOOTAGE of a partially naked handcuffed police officer having her legs stood on has been released during a hearing into police brutality claims in Ballarat. WATCH THE VIDEO

AN experienced police officer claims she kicked a partially naked, distressed and handcuffed colleague who was in custody for being drunk to "get her attention".

Footage played to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission shows Leading Senior Constable Nicole Munro kicking the woman as she lay on the floor of the drunk tank in January last year.

Under examination by Gary Hevey, LSC Munro admitted kicking the woman but said she did it to "calm her down".

"It was a case of trying to get her attention. There was nothing malicious," said Sen-Constable Munro, an officer with 26 years experience.

"(I was saying) 'just calm down, we're trying to help you here'."

IBAC's Operation Ross is holding public hearings this week into allegations of systemic police brutality in Ballarat.

The woman at the centre of the first case study was a police officer on leave who was taken in to custody on January 14, 2015.

Footage played to the hearing shows the woman being pepper-sprayed, stripped naked from the waist, stomped on and kicked.

The woman is seen naked from the waist down and an officer stands on her legs.

Footage shows the woman moving into a hallway where she is confronted.

She was then dragged to a hot shower, which is said to exaggerate the effects of pepper spray.

The officers involved in the alleged brutality were cleared by an internal police investigation. The alleged victim has been charged.

The woman is capsicum sprayed and restrained.

Ballarat police are accused of about one in 20 assault complaints lodged against officers in Victoria between 2010 and 2015, about three times the state average.

Force command raised concerns about the high number of complaints in 2009 and its response will be a key part of the week long hearings.

"Regrettably time has not seen an improvement," said counsel assisting Jack Rush QC.

"Complaints have remained constant and high."

Mr Rush said of particular concern was the high number of assault complaints lodged against senior officers including sergeants in Ballarat.

The hearing continues.