St. Louis Police Object to Collecting Their Own DNA
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that local police officers, who "routinely swab the mouths of suspects for DNA samples," vehemently object "when the swab stick is turned on them." The St. Louis Police Department is asking officers for samples to guard against crime scene contamination, but the cops worry that their DNA could be used for other purposes as well. "It's an attack on officers' constitutional rights," says Jeff Roorda, business manager for the St. Louis Police Officers' Association. Under a 2009 law, Missouri police collect DNA samples from people suspected of various felonies, including burglary, assault, and sex crimes. Previously samples were collected only after conviction.
[Thanks to Mark Sletten for the tip.]