A Victorian police officer filmed appearing to stomp on a man's head during an arrest in Melbourne has been suspended.
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The senior constable was suspended after footage shared on social media showed him appearing to stomp on Timothy Atkins' head while he was on the ground at Epping on Sunday.
Video also showed a police car speeding up and hitting Mr Atkins as he walked in front of it before the arrest.
The 32-year-old has bipolar disorder and his family says he's in an induced coma following the incident.
"Our brother is a hard working family orientated man," Bruce Atkins wrote in the GoFundMe appeal for the man's treatment.
"These unfortunate and avoidable circumstances have now resulted in him being put in a coma with an uncertain future ahead."
The injured man's father, Glenn Atkins, earlier called for the officer who kicked his son's head to be sacked.
He said his son had gone to the Northern Hospital Epping for treatment before running outside to meet a work colleague, which prompted hospital staff to call the police.
Victoria Police's internal ethics body is investigating the incident.
The force initially said the 32-year-old, of no fixed address, had been aggressive and had damaged a police vehicle as he attempted to avoid arrest.
In a second statement on Tuesday, it said the senior constable from the Critical Incident Response Team had been suspended the previous evening.
Premier Daniel Andrews said it was appropriate the officer had been stood down.
When asked if Victoria Police had a serious culture problem, the premier replied: "No, I don't believe so".
"Where an individual incident occurs, it should be properly investigated and I have confidence that that's exactly what will happen," Mr Andrews told reporters.
Australian Associated Press
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