Police arrest 'just to take DNA'
Police arrest just to acquire someone's DNA, the wacthdog suggests
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Tuesday, 24, Nov 2009 06:05
By Ian Dunt
The police have begun to arrest people for "everything" just so they can take their DNA, the government's own watchdog has found.
A senior policeman told the Human Genetics Commission (HGC) police were increasingly arresting just so the suspect's DNA could be kept on the database.
In a written submission, he wrote: "It is now the norm to arrest offenders for everything if there is a power to do so.
"It is apparently understood by serving police officers that one of the reasons, if not the reason, for the change in practice is so that the DNA of the offender can be obtained: samples can be obtained after arrest but not if there is a report for summons.
"It matters not, of course, whether the arrest leads to no action, a caution or a charge, because the DNA is kept on the database anyway."
The commission also questioned the reliability of a DNA database in solving crimes and called for a thorough examination of its success. There is "very little concrete evidence" as to how useful it is, the watchdog found.
Police can currently retain the DNA of anyone they arrest. The DNA is then kept regardless of whether or not the person is later charged or convicted, although new legislation will limit the duration the DNA of innocent people can be retained for to two years.
Critics say black and ethnic minority men are overrepresented on the database, and that the entire system is now subject to function creep.
Official National Policing Improvement Agency statistics show 1.17 million profiles have been added to the database over the past two years.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: "Research shows no clear link between the level of offence for which an individual is arrested and the seriousness of any subsequent offence with which they may be associated.
"DNA samples are taken on arrest for recordable offences carrying a prison sentence.
"The government is clear that this is the right threshold for taking and retaining DNA."