Police warning over plans to prune genetic database

Deleting the DNA genetic profiles of hundreds of thousands of suspects who have been arrested but never convicted is a key plank of the coalition Government’s policy on protecting civil liberties.

But South Yorkshire Police’s head of specialist crime services, Det Chief Supt Steve Talbot, said it was a “concern” that evidence which may hold the key to solving murders and rapes could be destroyed.

Labour has claimed that the changes could prevent police from holding the DNA of rape suspects, although the Government’s plan is that anyone charged with, but not convicted of, a serious offence will have their profile and fingerprints kept for three years.

The proposals are set out in the Protection of Freedoms Bill, which is currently at report stage in the Commons.

Det Chief Supt Talbot, who heads a team of officers investigating about 30 homicides a year, said: “We have always found that, even though we have held the DNA of unconvicted people, that has actively contributed to protecting the public because it has identified rapists and murderers on numerous occasions.

“Another thing to consider is that DNA has proved to be very effective in proving people innocent.

“It is fair to say that fewer crimes will be detected, but I think we need to wait to see what is eventually agreed and what the new rules will be.”

Labour Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Government’s restrictions on DNA use would “make it harder for the police to bring rapists and murderers to justice in Yorkshire and across the country”.

Ms Cooper, the Labour MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, added: “Crown Prosecution figures show the police could be prevented from holding any DNA records on around 5,000 suspected rapists every year, even though there may be a risk of future offences.

“Det Chief Supt Talbot is right to point out the risks being taken by this Government in the fight against crime, while the Association of Chief Police Officers has estimated that 1,000 fewer crimes of all kinds will be solved as a result of these changes.

“It is time for the Government to listen and change course. Ministers are putting the treatment of data on crime suspects above the fight for justice for victims of crime.”

But the Home Office has pointed to statistics which suggest that the number of detections linked to DNA is already in decline.

Figures compiled by the National Policing Improvement Agency show that detections of crimes in which a DNA match was available fell from 20,349 in 2005-06 to 17,463 in 2008-09.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “Under the old system the DNA of innocent people was retained but that of criminals was not collected.

“We have seen the number of people on the DNA database increase significantly over recent years. Yet over a similar period detections involving DNA evidence fell.

“Our starting point is that we will take the DNA of the guilty, not the innocent. This means that we will retain indefinitely the DNA of those convicted of a recordable offence. We will ensure that those who have already broken the law can be traced if they reoffend.

“We will also take the DNA of prisoners and those in the community who have previously been convicted of serious crimes.”

Comment: Page 10.