Concerns about privacy of LEOs' DNA

[Jenna]

When police in southern Louisiana were investigating the deaths of eight women in 2009, the sophistication of the crimes set off rumors that the serial killer was a police officer — speculation that became so pervasive that officials ordered DNA testing of law enforcement personnel to rule it out.
All local officers agreed to the testing and were eliminated as suspects, but the killer remains at large, said Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff Ricky Edwards.
Having officers' DNA samples on file is important for saving time in investigations and fending off doubt about evidence at trials because it allows authorities to identify unknown genetic material found at crime scenes, Edwards and other police and crime lab officials say.
Police in other parts of the country, however, are not as willing to hand over their DNA. Rank-and-file police from Connecticut to Chicago to Los Angeles have opposed what some experts say is a slowly emerging trend in the U.S. to collect officers' DNA.
"From a civil liberties standpoint, there are a lot of red flags," said Connecticut Trooper Steven Rief, former president of the state police union.

More here: Police Cite Privacy Concerns Over Their Own DNA - ABC News

[jmur5074]

Yeah, I don't think so.

[Car 4]

We may not like the idea now...BUT...in about 5 years, a DNA device will exist that will capture your DNA by sampling the epithelial cells you breathe out. Unless the law keeps pace with this advancement, they will have EVERYONE's DNA simply because you breathe and can't legally control what leaves your body when you do.

This isn't science fiction...such a device is in testing at this time. Add enough storage to the device to carry all of your local bad guys and there you have it.

Car 4

[Cidp24]

I think I would just wait until it's needed before I gave it up. I can see all the officers giving samples in the serial killer case but not just because they want it on file.

[Jenna]

We may not like the idea now...BUT...in about 5 years, a DNA device will exist that will capture your DNA by sampling the epithelial cells you breathe out. Unless the law keeps pace with this advancement, they will have EVERYONE's DNA simply because you breathe and can't legally control what leaves your body when you do.

This isn't science fiction...such a device is in testing at this time. Add enough storage to the device to carry all of your local bad guys and there you have it.

Car 4

Maybe in the future every LEO's iphone could come with an app that instantly records the DNA of everyone in breathing distance, matches it against crime databases, and then as a public service warns about the likelihood of various genetic diseases!

[Jks9199]

I expect that one day, it'll be required, just like we file our own prints. As technology advances and we get more and more effective at recovering DNA, we'll have to deal with the impact of Locard's Principle.

[Captain America]

Maybe in the future every LEO's iphone could come with an app that instantly records the DNA of everyone in breathing distance, matches it against crime databases, and then as a public service warns about the likelihood of various genetic diseases! So a LEO who catches a young couple having sex in the back of their car could say, "Neither of you has DNA that matches the DNA left at any crime scenes, but FYI, my app detected that both of you are carriers for Tay-Sach's Disease, and therefore if you have a child together, that child will have a 25% likelihood of developing Tay-Sach's Disease. Have a good day!"

It would be much more rewarding to me to be able to tell one half of the couple that the other half has herpes. " Have a good day !"

[Xiphos]

"Oh, you have this chromosome? It means you are more prone to be violent, sorry you're fired now."

[IndianaFuzz]

Maybe it's the conspiracy theorist in me..... I don't think I'd object to my dept. having the information of what my DNA profile is. But I would object to them actually keeping any real material with my DNA. With all the BS and backstabbing and people with their own messed up agendas on PD's, I wouldn't want it to be that easy for someone else on the dept. to be able to frame me for something by placing my DNA in a crime scene. Then again, I'm not a forensics guy so I don't know how long different forms of collected DNA keep before they degrade.