POLICE officers should be given head or body cameras to record incidents which happen while they're on duty.

POLICE officers should be given head or body cameras to record incidents which happen while they're on duty.

Springburn Labour MSP Paul Martin made the claim today, saying cameras would be a useful aid to ensuring the accuracy of evidence recorded at the scene of a crime. He claimed it would also make convictions easier to secure in cases of assault against officers.

Mr Martin, Labour's Community Safety spokesman, said: "Body cameras would be a great tool not just in the fight against crime but also in helping to protect police officers.

He claimed the cameras would "deter crime and disorder, gather evidence and provide corroboration as well as showing openness and accountability."

He urged Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to provide funding to all Scottish police forces so they were available "as the norm".

Mr Martin added: "With assaults against police officers approaching 7000 a year, there is no time for prevarication from Mr MacAskill."

Strathclyde Police piloted the use of head cameras - called Robocams - for its mounted branch and rural police officers last year.

brian.currie@eveningtimes.co.uk