A lawyer representing the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), Ted Woodward, SC, on Friday told the Supreme Court CCTV footage of an alleged assault by two officers towards a woman at the station in January demonstrated the "exceptional circumstances" needed to justify a public examination.

"Some of the conduct borders on gratuitous brutality," Mr Woodward said.

"There are at least four incidents, plus statistics show a high degree of complaints from this particular station."

Mr Woodward alleged there was "a culture of serious non-compliance", with incidents of officers using excessive force towards vulnerable women dating back to 2009.

Two Ballarat police officers, whose names have been suppressed, were due to give evidence before public IBAC examinations starting this week.

But their lawyers made a last minute application to the Supreme Court, arguing the public examinations would destroy the officers' reputations and deny them the right to a fair trial if charged in the future.

IBAC allege the earliest incident of Ballarat police allegedly using excessive force was in 2009 and involved two women being put in chokeholds.

A 2010 incident allegedly involved two officers forcibly handling a woman under arrest.

Details of the incident in January, which promoted the examination, are not fully known.

"There is likely to be a systematic problem at this station," IBAC's barrister told the court.

"The investigation has to start somewhere.

"Is this the tip of the iceberg?"

The public examinations have currently been put on hold, with Justice Peter Riordan set to make a final order next week.