Victoria's Armed Offenders Squad under fire

Victoria's Armed Offenders Squad could be disbanded amid claims of widespread bashing and intimidation of suspects to extract confessions.

The state's police watchdog, the Office of Police Integrity, is probing the claims, which stretch back at least two years.

Assistant director Graham Ashton said if they proved correct, the unit should be disbanded and some members charged.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon said no decision would be made until the investigation had finished.