Europe - Thursday, August 7, 2008 7:50 - 0 Comments

Police chief calls for universal DNA database

Scotland’s most senior police office has called for the creation of a DNA database of the entire population

By Auslan Cramb, Scottish Correspondent
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2511536/Police-chief-calls-for-universal-DNA-database.html

Stephen House, Chief Constable of Strathclyde, said that storing the genetic profiles of every man, woman and child would help catch more criminals.

He also called for Scotland to adopt the English DNA system that allows the profiles of suspects to be kept even if they are not charged with any wrongdoing.

Police in Scotland have to destroy the DNA records of innocent people but can keep samples of those accused of sexual or violent crimes for three years.

There are around 4.2 million DNA profiles stored in England, which has the biggest genetic database in the world.

However, a government inquiry recommended last week that one million of these should be destroyed because they came from people who had never been convicted.

Increasing DNA databases north or south of the border would also be strongly opposed by human rights groups and by many politicians. In Scotland, the database currently holds the genetic profiles of around 200,000 Scots. Continue…