HK Police to Use New DNA Sampling Technology at Crime ScenesPolice officers must take extra care at crime scenes as the police will apply the new technology of DNA sampling to ensure delicate DNA evidence can be properly collected, Ian Mackness, chief superintendent crime support called Wednesday.Mackness said, "DNA is our first new crime-solving tool in 100 years. Not since fingerprinting was introduced in 1901 have we seen anything of this significance come along, so all officers must now be aware of this technology and of its importance." Hong Kong Legislators passed new laws last year empowering officers to take DNA samples from suspects arrested for serious offenses. The laws will come into force on July 1. A highly contentious subject, ample guidelines have been established by the police force to ensure that human rights and privacy of those undergoing DNA tests here would not be infringed. The DNA database would be locked up in the Government Lab and be accessible only by its staff who would know the samples by code rather than by a person's identity. The hi-tech computer comparison equipment and database are the same one used by the FBI in the United States. |
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