Over 1,000 DNA Samples Taken By Police
Attorney General and Minister of Justice Kim Wilson today (Aug 27) updated members of the public on developments that have taken place in relation to Bermuda’s DNA database.
Since September 2008, all persons detained for a recordable offence are now required under the PACE Act 2006 to provide, amongst other samples, their DNA by way of Buccal swabs. Hence, Bermuda police are steadily building up DNA profiles of arrested persons, which will assist the detection of more crimes in the future as the offender database grows.
For the period from January 1, 2010 and July 31, 2010, a total of 1,190 DNA samples were received at the Forensic Support Unit of the Bermuda Police Service which were taken from persons detained under PACE. So far this year, 35 of those samples were from suspects who have already been forwarded for profiling and 1,155 were first time collections which were forwarded to Trinity DNA Solutions in Florida.
Additionally, Trinity DNA solutions have reported that since the inception of our DNA bank, ten ‘HITS’ have been made from random searches. These are samples taken from arrested persons that then match old DNA samples retrieved from past crime scenes. This number is expected to increase as we move forward.
Providing some background, Sen. Wilson said that on February 10th, 2010, she reported on the collection by the Bermuda Police Service of samples of people living in Bermuda and the generation of the forensic DNA profiles for these people by Trinity DNA Solutions of Milton, Florida.
These voluntary and anonymous samples were taken in Bermuda in July 2009. The resulting DNA profiles were to be used for forensic calculation in Bermuda. Until that time such calculations had been performed by Trinity DNA Solutions on the basis of data published by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Historically, Bermuda’s criminal justice system has relied upon comparison data generated by the FBI when submitting evidential DNA match profiling.
Dr. Weir was provided with Excel spreadsheets of the DNA profiles for the Bermuda samples by Trinity DNA Solutions. Dr. Weir analyzed the data generated by Trinity DNA Solutions along with data published by the FBI. The intention was to show the extent of changes in the numerical strength of DNA evidence that might be expected once the Bermuda data are used instead of the FBI data.
As previously reported, Dr. Weir considered that the set of DNA profiles generated by Trinity DNA Solutions for the samples collected by the Bermuda Police Service could be used for forensic calculations in Bermuda. He expected that the results would be very similar to those that might be obtained with published FBI data.
Trinity Solutions Laboratory provided both comparison database calculations from the FBI and Bermuda’s database for DNA evidence for a 12 month period. Thereafter, it was Dr. Weir’s intention to recommend that the Bermuda database calculation be used solely as the primary comparison for DNA forensic evidence.
Senator Wilson said: “These developments signify a major achievement in forensic evidence for Bermuda, prompted by the implementation of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 2006 which has revolutionized policing in Bermuda. As Attorney-General and Minister of Justice I am committed to law and order and the strengthening of the legislative and administrative infrastructure that underlies the proper and effective administration of justice. I am confident that this advancement in forensic evidence further demonstrates this commitment as it will continue to enhance and benefit Bermuda’s criminal justice system.”
BEWARE OF BIG BROTHER!!! IT’S A DOUBLE-EDGE SWORD, IN THE WRONG HANDS THIS INFORMATION COULD BE USED MALICIOUSLY!! UM JUS SAYIN…..
“all persons detained for a recordable offence are now required under the PACE Act 2006 to provide, amongst other samples, their DNA…”
any recordable offence? So if I have a traffic violation the police are going to have a record of my DNA on file? That seems a little much to me.
Yeah because it’s called the beginning of the NEW WORLD ORDER. This along with the vehicle tagging they have already passed, this is just the start.
Actually, if you get arrested on a traffic warrant, all is required is that they take your photograph. Nothing else.