Even Bigger

Feb 26, 2021

Rather than be pared down, the New York City Police Department's DNA database has grown since announcing DNA profiles would be removed, Politico reports.

The NYPD has its own DNA database separate from that of the state, and last year it said that it would be removing genetic profiles that were collected from people who were arrested or questioned but never convicted of a crime.

According to Politico, the removal of such profiles has been minimal and slow. Data from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which maintains the database, indicates the NYPD has flagged 2,828 profiles for removal and 1,042 have been purged, it says. However, Politico notes that, at the same time, 2,849 new profiles have been added.

"They're doing it at a snail's pace on the removal, and they're adding people more quickly. It really neutralizes any sense of reform," Terri Rosenblatt, supervising attorney of the DNA Unit at the Legal Aid Society, tells it.

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