Video footage showing two police officers in the US state of California viciously beating a surrendering suspect has prompted two public defenders to call for criminal charges against the officers.

A surveillance video uploaded on YouTube on Friday shows 26-year-old Stanislav Petrov running into an alley in San Francisco before he slows and is tackled by two Alameda County Sheriff's deputies.

The two law enforcement officers can then be seen punching and hitting him with batons at least three dozen times as he screams.

Petrov can be seen trying to stand, surrendering and shielding himself from the blows.

In a statement on Sunday, Alameda County Public Defender Brendon Woods called the beating "disgusting" and said it reminded him of the 1991 police beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles, California.

"Those deputies viciously attacked a man who appeared to be surrendering. They beat him with their batons even though he was not resisting," said Woods, whose office would likely defend Petrov against criminal charges. "This is clearly excessive force."

Woods also called for a federal civil rights investigation “if you’re fleeing or have done something to antagonize officers,” he said. “They often feel use of force is justified, which is not the case.”

In a statement on Monday, the San Francisco Public Defender's Office said it agreed with its Alameda County counterpart, adding, "Prosecutors must pursue criminal charges against the deputies."

Alameda County Sheriff Sergeant J. D. Nelson said the incident started around 1:30 am last Thursday when deputies were checking on a stolen vehicle.

Nelson said Petrov had a criminal history and would face numerous charges. He said two deputies were placed on administrative leave as an investigation unfolds.

The beating comes at a time of widespread anger in the US over police brutality after several high-profile deadly confrontations with suspects that triggered protests across the country over the past two years.

The number of Americans killed by police so far in 2015 has reached 1,000, according to a database by the Guardian newspaper that tracks police killings.