ONE in 12 people in Greater Manchester have their DNA permanently stored on the government's crime-busting database.
Police have collected records from 181,835 people in the region - mainly criminals and suspects - since the database started in 1995.
Nationally, the Forensic Science Service hold the `genetic fingerprints' of more than three and half million people - with 5.2 per cent of the British population on the database compared to 7.3 per cent in Greater Manchester.
The Home Office says the database has helped solve more than 45,000 crimes, including 645 rapes, 422 murders and more than 9,000 burglaries.
Testing
But human rights campaigners claim samples are being taken from too many people - and testing should be limited to those convicted of only the most serious offences.
DNA samples can be taken there were 22,189 incidents in 2003/04, a total of 23,607 in 2004/05, and 22,356 in 2005/06.
Police in Greater Manchester are so concerned about the trend they have been lobbying for a change in the law to ensure those who assault officers face stricter sentencing. Their campaign is backed by the chief constable, Michael Todd.
Officers have long warned that their job has been getting more dangerous in recent years.
The person does not need to be linked to any other crime for their DNA to be taken.
Officers also collect DNA from crime scenes and from volunteers, including crime victims.
Database
More than 15,000 volunteers, including Tony Blair, have their DNA stored on the national database, which accounts for about four per cent of DNA records.
Last month, Ian O'Callaghan from Bury was finally convicted of murdering grandmother Shirley Leach in 1994.
He was subjected to a routine DNA test taken after a car crash and police from the specialist Cold Case Review Unit found a match with stored DNA taken from the crime scene.
The government and police have invested more than é300m in the database in the last five years. More than 79 per cent of people with DNA on file have a caution or conviction and the Home Office said the database had `revolutionised' policing.
Cost
But a spokesman for human rights group Liberty, said: "Instead of bearing this heavy cost to our purses and privacy, a smaller, more manageable DNA database of those convicted of serious sexual and violent offences would be a speedier crime-fighting tool."
Civil rights campaigners pledged to fight US plans to keep the fingerprints of British tourists on a criminal database.
British and EU visitors will have to have all 10 fingers scanned as they enter the country, according to reports.
ARE police taking too many DNA samples? Have your say.
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They have my details, and that was for being drunk and dishordenly! I was sick and passed out on the street! hardly the need for my DNA!
No, if someone is a suspect then they should have their DNA taken.
What frightens me is the proportion of the population that have been suspects or have been convicted of a criminal offence!
Human rights goody goodies again. The PC brigade are throwing a spanner in the works again.
Who cares about DNA, if you never do anything wrong then no need to worry. The worst that could happen is that if you rape/rob/murder someone, you will be brought to justice. The best is that like Taylor-Red, you get arrested for drunk and "dishordenly" (is that a drunken llishp or a typing error)" and realise that a life of crime is not for you.
What do you think is going to happen?
PS, Taylor-Red, I've never seen a police officer arrest someone who is unconscious. If you have been then surely you would have now sued the pants off the Chief Constable for wrongful arrest, assault and invasion of your human rights. Or was your sickness brought on by Mr Smirnoff??
It's time everybody's DNA was on file, I'd volunteer mine willingly.
They have mine as well and I only threatened some kids with a toy gun:$
The police have my DNA on file as well even though I was only a suspect and never found guilty or went to trial
It is time this was changed
I agree, there should be a database with everyone's DNA on it.
Only the guilty or paranoid would disagree.
Nice to see some comments from the nothing-to-hide brigade. Why don't you all tell us how much you earn and about all the skeletons in your closet (yes, even that one!). No? Why, have you got something to hide? One day you will learn the value of privacy, but it will be too late.
Batfink don't be so ridiculous, a person's income and private life has got nothing to do with a DNA database that helps to catch criminals. When a crime is committed samples go through the system and if a match is found justice can be served, if you haven't committed the offence there wont be a match and so wont be of any interest to the investigation. The police protect society against scum and a DNA database will help to catch them. If you haven't committed a crime the system wont identify you, simple as.
A guy was recently convicted of murdering a woman at a Bury bus stop.
He was only convicted of the killing which happened 1o years earlier because of a DNA sample taken after a car crash.
Left to Liberty, that is exactly what he would have enjoyed!
DNA is good in some cases but not all, my son had his taken because a boy has said my son beat him up. he went to court and found not guilty. then a few mth later my son was at his friends house and had been having a cig and flicked it over a fence, the house where he flicked his cig was broken into and the police found my sons cig and got dna of it, my house was surounded with police looking for my son who had nothing to do with it which was not very nice for us his parents. so the person who says people with something to hide are the ones not wanting the sceam is not right.would she like a load of police turing up at her house!!!!!
The police need to strike a fine balance here. I'm not for obtaining a sample from all people at birth, but this database must be made to work effectively. On the plus side, there are little margins for error and little chance of caging the wrong person with DNA evidence.
DNA is in is pretty much in its early stages now. who knows what your DNA could be used for in the future. I hope all "you nothing to hide" folks will be down at your local police station tommorrow to give them a DNA sample.
Salgado, it was a typing error! Anyway i wasnt unconsious, was just lay on floor, cops come to me and started questioning me and being funny and making me feel like piece of dirt, and as you know when your drunk you say things you dont mean, they handcuffed me and put me in van! Woke up in cell next morning, shoes on with no laces, why i dont know cos i aint gonna hang myself am i cos iv been caught drunk, nand took my fingerprints DNA and issued me with A#80 fine! Scandlous!!!!!! A#80 fine was bad enough but taking my personal details without having my own rights just annoys me!
My DNA is on file and I have never committed a crime, but have been the victim. By it being on file the police were able to isolate the criminal's DNA from my own and therefore able to convict him. So I am 100% happy for them to have it.
I am a police officer and would just like to say that these people from Liberty don't know what they are talking about. So we should only take DNA from people found guilty of serious offences? Well, the whole point of taking it is so we can catch them!! As previous people have pointed out, serious offenders may go undetected for years then committ a minor offence. They then give their DNA which is subject to a search and can be matched to a crime scene to which there was no previous link. The DNA taken from victims is for elimination purposes and wouldnt be subject to a speculative search. Its about time people stopped listening to these barmy groups, becuase they serve no purpose in protecting the decent law abiding member of public.
the police do have my DNA on file for both a crime i committed 15 years ago and i was attacked earlier this year i agree they should have peoples DNA as a lot of old and unsolved crimes may be able to be solved if they catch someone again they may be able to fit them with other crimes from years ago (this has already happened) I've got nothing to hide and big brother is watching us anyway so it doesdn't bother me
So then Taylor-red, just becuase you can't handle your drink and like to mouth off when drunk, you should be let of as you 'dont mean it'? How about if i got drunk and punched you in the face but didn't reall ymean it should i get away with it? Also for your info, when people are arrested they have numerous rights, and you can't be dealt with at a police station until you are sober enough for people to inform you of these rights and for you to sign a sheet regarding any rights you may wish to exercise. The amount of tax payers money you wasted was a lot less than #80 so count yourself lucky. People like yourself always feel hard done by after committing public order offences, but it's not you that's on the receiving end of a drunken, belligerent idiot. p.s the system you were fined under is by consent only. if you were so hard done by you should've refused to accept it and opted to go to court.
I earn ¿¿27 a year. I wet my self once when I was 10. I sometimes exceed the speed limit. I would volunteer to go and have my DNA taken if anyone was asking me to.
Being so drunk that you are unconscious and throwing up is not only dangerous its antisocial and you deserved to be locked up and fined.
Flicking a cigarette out the window is also disgusting. Your son wasn't convicted so what's the problem?
I don't believe the law says anything about a crime only being committed if they catch the perpetrator? There are already far too many legal loopholes as it is.
Hopefully the police will be able to catch more criminals, maybe it will deter people from committing crimes in the first place!
The civil rights group Liberty is an enemy of the law abiding British people.
JH, i have put honest comments on here regarding my opinion, i can handle my drink and as people know every now and then you drink too much! In my case this happened, now your stating i derserved what i got cos i was abusive, well for one i was there and i knew what happened and YOU WASNT so dont tell me what i deserved! And how can you talk you have just commented on PUNCHING ME IN THE FACE! Looks like your the criminal who goes out on the street and doing crimes! At least i have the decency to state my opinion and the reason behind my DNA testing, it was petty and the police now it! If i would of got a taxi with my mates that night they wouldnt have my DNA! Because they caught me drunk and i was in no mood for a telling off i reacted! So dont come on here telling me what i should do and what you think! And dont threaten me again with a punch!
Maybe M.P.'s should have been the first people to have their DNA forcably taken for no reason other than they were suspected of a crime this- should have been allowed when this legislation was forced through .
Instead they are probaby exempt from it just like when they voted themselves exempt from paying the poll tax
taylor-red, shame on you, you need to take responsibility for your alcohol problem, i am sure you could find a self help group in town, i am not suprised someone would like to give you a smack, i reckon its because you are openly justifying your behaviour when drinking, its not a problen i have i can manage to neck quite a few drinks without causing a fuss,
To police-officer JH: It's the keeping of people's DNA after they have been found not guilty, not even charged or just "eliminated from enquiries" that i have a problem with, and i'll think you'll find that THAT is what Liberty oppose. Regardless of what you may have seen on CSI, DNA analysis is a very new police tool; it is not an exact science nor is it a panacea to crime. Come to think of it, neither is reading fingerprints (as some recent stories have proven) and that has been around for over a century. With Blair and Co bringing in the National Identity Register by the back-door, storing our personal details whether we like it or not, is it any wonder that people don't want to trust the police with DNA or those new fingerprint readers you are getting?
Your DNA can provide a lot more information than just your identity. In the future they expecct to be able to tell everthing about you from your DNA. Now that is invasion or privacy - Oh and this is not paranoia, it is fact. The state should not collect DNA from anybody except serious (Rape and Above) convicted criminals.