Victorian police have been warned that shooting at cars is unlikely to stop them.

There has been an increase in the number of offenders trying to ram with their cars officers while trying to flee.

Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp last week emailed police members to warn that shooting a moving vehicle could be extremely dangerous for officers, offenders and the public.

He said Victoria Police were working on new protocols to handle ramming incidents, but said opening fire would only be considered appropriate in critical and rare circumstances.

“You've got to be a pretty good shot to shoot a tyre out, but even if you do it's not going to be enough to stop the vehicle,” Deputy Commissioner Crisp told Macquarie Radio.

“Members should be reminded that firearms should not be discharged towards a moving vehicle in an attempt to disable the vehicle.”

But ultimately, the force trusts its officers to assess each situation they confront.

“There could be those circumstances where in fact there is a need to shoot at a vehicle if your life is in danger,” he said.

He said the email was all about safety.

“It's based on the safety of our members first and foremost, the community, and also those offenders and suspects that we're trying to arrest,” he said.