ABC News

Two members of the press who were pepper sprayed by Victoria Police at two separate public events say they have decided to take legal action.

A Victoria Police officer who was filmed stomping on the back of a man's head while he was being arrested used "lawful" force and should not be criminally charged, according to the state's anti-corruption watchdog.

Victoria's top cop says police will settle a case brought by former North Melbourne AFL coach, Dani Laidley, for what was "inappropriate conduct" by officers.

Dani Laidley, the former North Melbourne AFL coach who was outed in public as transgender after vulnerable photos of her in custody were allegedly leaked, is suing Victoria Police. Ms Laidley's lawyer, Jeremy King, declined a request for comment.

Jeremy King commented: “There appear to be some pretty deep-seated issues within Victoria Police and I sincerely believe that will only ever change if we have proper and true and robust independent oversight of Victoria Police, which at the moment we don't have, simply because IBAC is critically under resourced and underfunded.”

A man is in an induced coma in a Melbourne hospital after his head was stomped on by a police officer as he was arrested on Sunday afternoon, his lawyer says.