A senior Crown prosecutor has called on the Bermuda Police Service to protect its integrity by video recording interviews with suspects.

The accuracy of Police statements was questioned during the trial of Karim Salahuddin and Kulandra Ratneser ? a former Acting Director of Public Prosecutions and the lead prosecutor during the trial ? yesterday said video recording interviews would eliminate questions over the accuracy of statements and suggestions of Police meddling.

Salahuddin, who was found guilty of murdering his six-month-old daughter Cassidy Ann yesterday, told the court that Police had fabricated portions of his statements.

His lawyer, John Perry QC, argued that he had been poorly advised by his original defence lawyer Larry Scott and that Police had added words to statements which Salahuddin would not have used.

Salahuddin made several statements to Police in which he told officers that he had shaken Cassidy to get her to stop crying.

He then changed his story and said that was a ?fake? story he had made up and that Police had fabricated portions of his statements.

Yesterday, Mr. Ratneser said other jurisdictions ? such as Australia, where he was a long-time prosecutor ? require that Police videotape all statements and interviews.

?It?s something the Government must look at,? said Mr. Ratneser.

?Perhaps this case proves that it is very, very important for video recording to be used ? to protect both the accused and the Police when allegations are made. All that (doubt) can be taken away with video recording.?

Mr. Ratneser said he hoped Bermuda would begin to embrace technology and install the recording devices in all Police stations so accurate records can be played back in court.

?I hope justice will be served through our courts,? he said in his closing arguments this week. ?Sadly, we do not have Police equipped with video cameras. I hope these remarks will meet the ears of our politicians and things will change in some way. We cannot lie about the integrity of our Police officers.?

Members of the legal community have also raised this issue in past years.

Two years ago, Larry Mussenden, who is now the Attorney General, said the Bermuda Police Service needed to implement tape recording interviews with suspects in the main criminal investigations or risk further mistrust by members of the public.

While legislation in 2001 paved the way for Police to tape record all interviews with suspects, only the Commercial Crime Unit has the equipment installed and is currently taping interviews.

When asked for an update on progress implementing tape recording procedures in all Police stations, Robin Simmons of Police Media Relations said: ?The tape recording of interviews is already in legislation and the Bermuda Police Service is continuing to implement the tape recording of interviews as our facilities are upgraded to install the necessary equipment.?

There is also a procedure that has to be adopted to install the equipment.

A Police station must be designated by the Commissioner and the information is then published in the Official Gazette.

Det. Sgt. Marc Clarke, who runs the Juvenile Domestic Crime Unit, told that he would be in favour of installing the equipment if it reduced complaints against the Police.

But he said Bermuda might see a snowballing effect, with officers being questioned on how they conducted their interviews.

?What will it be next?? he asked. ?Will complaints be made about the interview manner or the officer?s tone of voice??

Sgt. Clarke said tape recording provided a quick method for reviewing information, but it is up to the defendant to put his case forward properly.