August 8, 2007

UK Police See Massive Expansion of DNA Database

UK police are seeking powers to take DNA samples from suspects on the streets and for non-imprisonable offences such as speeding and dropping litter. The demand for a huge expansion of powers to take DNA comes as a government watchdog announced the first public inquiry into the national DNA database. There is growing concern among MPs and civil liberties groups about the number of children under 10 and young black men on the database — the biggest in the world. But a number of police forces in England and Wales are backing proposals that would add millions more samples to it.

Police want DNA from speeding drivers and litterbugs on database, Times Online, August 2, 2007.