PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Police: DNA (10 December 2021)
Question Asked
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether DNA samples are routinely taken from all police officers; and for how long DNA samples taken from police officers are retained.
Asked by:
Janet Daby (Labour)
Asked by:
Janet Daby (Labour)
Answer
It is currently a condition of employment that all police officers who could be in a position to contaminate any crime scene, suspect or victim, or material recovered from them, to provide a sample of DNA for analysis as part of their terms of employment.
DNA samples taken from police officers are destroyed within 6 months of the date taken. The profiles derived from the DNA samples can be searched on the Contamination Elimination Database for 12 months after the individual has left employment. This is for the purpose of identifying any historical contamination events.
Answered by:
Kit Malthouse (Conservative)
20 December 2021
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