CCTV Cameras may be brought in for the use of Police I.D. parades in an attempt to make the procedure less traumatising for victims.

Police have spent months investigating how the process can be improved following a number of complaints from women, who claimed they had been made to face their attackers head on.

Police have now come up with a number of options for consideration, but are also looking at whether legislation will have to be changed.

The rights of suspects also have to be taken into account when the parades are held, and the law in Bermuda at the moment means sometimes barriers can not be in place during parades unless the suspect's attorney is on hand.

The Women's Resource Centre, which provides support to victims of physical and sexual abuse, has led the campaign for change for some time.

It said this weekend that it was glad to finally see some progress, but said the new facilities should be put in place at the earliest opportunity.

A Police spokesman said: "There are a number of options available for consideration for modernising the physical facilities used for I.D. parades at Police headquarters.

"These include the provision of a two-way mirror, the placement of a security screen, and the provision of a camera, VCR and closed circuit TV monitors to enhance the integrity of the ID parade procedure.

"The (Police) service has obtained a bid for the technical equipment and it is in the process of costing the project.'' He said there was also scope to enhance the guidelines to ensure they encompassed not only the parades themselves, but also video identification, confrontation parades, group identification parades, the showing of films and photographs, tape security and destruction, and parades involving prison inmates.

He added: "Once the project is costed and the physical alterations are made, together with the provision of the required technical equipment, there will be a need for the administrative guidelines with the conduct of I.D. parades to be prepared.

"It is anticipated that legislative changes may ultimately be required to effect these enhancements, and we are working to expedite the process.'' The resource centre welcomed the progress made so far, but also urged Police to ensure trained officers were on hand whenever female victims had to face their possible attackers at I.D. parades.

Chairwoman of the group Penny Dill said now would be an ideal time to also look at how the parades were staffed.

She said sometimes the stress felt by victims during the parades was heightened because officers who have special training to assist them, or are accustomed with the case, are not on hand.

"It's been a very long-winded process to get this far, but we have reached the first stage where they are looking at possible options and possible changes to legislation,'' she said.

"We hope it begins to move forward and we get something in place sooner, rather than later.

"But we would also like to see specifically trained officers on hand during I.D. parades in sex assault cases. Sometimes in the past it has been a different set of officers who are unfamiliar with the case or unsympathetic.'' Penny Dill