Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton. Credit:Justin McManus

Victorian police are set to be armed with military-style semi-automatic rifles as part of a contentious proposal designed to combat terrorism and the proliferation of gun-related crime.

The Age understands that police bosses are poised to give officers broader access to powerful long-arm guns to deal with high-risk incidents, such as sieges and terror events.

The weapons were likely to be stored in cars under lock and key, and some general duty police may have the authority to use the guns before Special Operations Group officers attended a scene.

Talk of the plan comes eight months before the Victorian election, where law-and-order will be a central battleground between the Andrews government and Matthew Guy’s Coalition.