An urban management officer in eastern China has started wearing Google Glass in a bid to show the public that the enforcers do not deserve their notoriety.

Jiang Yifan, an urban management officer - known as chengguan - in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, will use the computer built into spectacles to record confrontations.

Chengguan have a very bad reputation in China and are often accused of brutality against vendors and squatters while enforcing urban management laws.

"Video footage taken at the scene is the best evidence," said Jiang Yifan, who posted a picture of himself wearing the device on Weibo microblog yesterday.

Jiang said he and colleagues are already equipped with video cameras, which they take when they anticipate conflict - such as for the demolition of illegally built structures, the Yangtze Evening News reported.

But sometimes carrying a video camera can trigger anger in an already tense situation, while the Coogle Glass headset is less intrusive, Jiang said.

Voice commands let Google Glass users shoot hands-free pictures and videos.

"It's better with Google Glass. My hands are free and it can record what I see," said Jiang.

Jiang bought his Google Glass online early this month for nearly 10,000 yuan (US$1,606).

The Internet-connected wearable computer isn't available yet in stores in China's mainland.

This month, a 68-year-old man died following and altercation with temporary chengguan staff in Fuzhou City in southeast China's Fujian Province.

The senior was allegedly kicked and beaten to death by chengguan while he shopped at a market, after he accused them of being heavy-handed in clearing illegal stalls.