Strathclyde and Lothian and Borders Police have said that a clairvoyant, medium or psychic who provided them with information would be treated as a witness.
Lothian and Borders Police said that it is common during major investigations to receive information from people who have “visions, dreams, or claim to have the power to communicate beyond the grave”.
Information provided by clairvoyants often relates to the location of buried bodies and the force said that this information would not be instantly dismissed.
Police said that this information would be considered alongside other evidence or intelligence and acted upon if it is supported by fact.
A spokesperson added: “The potential cannot be ignored that some of the information is accurate and that the informant or the person who imparted the information to the psychic is deliberately using that means to notify the police.”
And a spokesperson for Strathclyde Police said: “If something were to come from their information a log would be put on the Scottish Intelligence Database with the information they provided.”
Neither police force could provide details of how many times it had investigated claims last year.
But Hamish Brown, a former detective inspector with the Metropolitan Police, said that he wouldn’t like to use information gained through physics.
He added: “It would be an absolute nightmare for the prosecution to bring any claims made by a psychic.
“It would definitely have to be supported by other forms of information. As an investigating officer I would shudder at the suggestion of using claims made by psychics in court.
“I can see defence lawyers giving me a torrid time if I presented this sort of thing. It would be awful.
“A psychic could perhaps confirm things about a living person they’ve spoken to. For example, they could tell police how one of their clients had been affected by a bereavement.
“But no court in the land is going to allow messages from beyond the grave to stand as real evidence from a prosecution point of view.
“My strong advice would be not to touch any information gathered through supposed psychic abilities.
“I wouldn’t touch it with a bargepole.”
Several psychics claim they have received information on the whereabouts of missing people on high-profile police investigations.
Last year, the family of missing woman Bridget Robertson said they believe she may have been murdered after a clairvoyant gave them new information.
Psychic Jacqui O’Reilly led the family to a cellar in a tenement in Edinburgh’s Easter Road where she believes the body is buried.
