Door staff to use body cams
Bouncers at ten Paisley pubs and clubs have been kitted out with body cams in a bid to tackle violence in the town centre.
The cameras will let security staff record rowdy punt e r s, catch yobs and deter troublemakers.
Police say the kit — which goes live tomorrow night — is a key tool in reducing crime and keeping revellers safe.
Sergeant Chris Daly, from Paisley
police office, said: “The benefit of these cameras is that everyone is accountable for their actions.
“The police and stewards are accountable for how they act, as are members of the public.
“If behaviour is filmed and the footage is used in court, that is a better form of evidence than police statements.
“If you are seeing and hearing something, then you are getting a better picture of what has happened.
“Having this equipment will hopefully make Paisley a safer place to enjoy a night out.
“All the clubs and pubs are really excited to be a part of it and are looking forward to the launch.”
The town’s business-boosting group Paisley First funded the scheme after Sergeant Daly and colleague Sergeant David Cameron presented the idea to them.
Sergeant Daly added: “Down to budgeting reasons, the police couldn’t pay for it, so we approached the clubs directly.
“We explained to them it would help from a licensing point of view and it would limit the need for their stewards to go to court.
“They were up for paying for it themselves, but then it was suggested we approach Paisley First.”
Sergeant Cameron added: “We approached them and they said it was something they were up for because they are all about Safer Paisley. They loved the idea.
“We had initially suggested six clubs, but they said they would fund all the premises they cover, so they provided more money than was planned.
“They came back with £2,400, which has been able to pay for 13 or 14 body worn cameras.”
The officers explained there is no risk of breaching privacy as they system is tightly controlled.
Sergeant Cameron said: “The cameras will only record when they are pushed. They are not recording all the time.
“All the footage is saved onto a hard drive at the pub or club, which will be password protected, so there is no risk of footage of incidents being tampered with or deleted.
“It will be viewed and collected by a trained officer.”
One or two cameras will be worn by police officers in the town centre during weekend spilling-out time and another will be used by town centre community cops, who often work alone.
Paisley First chair Colette Cardosi said the scheme will help make nights out safer.
She told the Express: “We spoke to our Business Improvement District members in the licensed trade regarding the body cam scheme and they were all keen to be involved.
“Paisley is a Purple Flag town and has a growing evening and night-time economy with a wide range of bars and restaurants suitable for families and those looking for a good, safe night out.
“Paisley First was happy to fund this initiative as part of our Safer Paisley scheme, which has also seen four new defibrillators installed in the town centre this year.”