Police in Dumfries and Annan trial body-mounted cameras

The body-mounted cameras record both pictures and sound

Police in parts of Dumfries and Galloway are testing body-mounted video cameras.

Officers in Dumfries and Annan are expected to use the technology to combat late-night violence and youth disorder.

They will be able to activate the credit card-sized devices to record specific incidents.

It is the first time the cameras have been used by officers in the region and they could become a permanent feature.

Insp Stuart Wilson said Police Scotland wanted to assess how beneficial the cameras would be in the south west of Scotland.

He said: "It's been shown in other areas that they help to reduce incidents of violence merely by the fact that people know they are being recorded both visually and by audio as well.

"It also helped to show evidence to the courts of some of the levels violence that's been used."

He said the cameras would not replace the work of a police officer.

"The best evidence is still that from the police officer themselves and what they see and hear so this is simply another tool in the armoury to add to the evidence that is already available from members of the public and police officers involved in the incidents themselves," he added.