Met DNA database missing nearly half of officers

The Metropolitan Police is still missing nearly half of its officers' DNA from its database, and more than a fifth of their fingerprints.

Elimination databases are used to exclude police officers' DNA or fingerprints from crime scene samples, helping to prevent contamination from being mistaken for a suspect's profile.

However, the missing data could potentially hamper the force's ability to catch criminals in their own ranks.

A Met spokesperson said: "Work continues to ensure samples from every police officer are collected, recorded and uploaded to our databases. We recognise there is more to do and aim to complete this work as soon as possible."

Of the 32,431 Met Police officers, 17,458 have their DNA on the force's elimination database, which is 53.8%, while 25,802 have their fingerprints on the elimination database - 79.6%.

In November 2024, the London Standard reported that around half of the Met's officers could be missing from its own DNA and fingerprint databases.

The Met said at the time it was in the "process of assessing those samples" it did not hold and expected to collect outstanding ones within 12 months.

It is understood a new database has been established to track the career lifecycle of biometric data samples associated with serving officers to ensure continuity and the Met is "confident" its processes have been assured.

The Met also says it has developed a more reliable data process to identify individuals whose data is missing, addressing legacy records and data quality issues, including identifying duplicate records for the same person.

That said, the percentage of officers with their DNA on file has risen very little in the 15 months since November 2024.

The collection of DNA samples for elimination databases has been mandatory for new police recruits in England and Wales since 2003.

In the aftermath of of former constable Wayne Couzen's murder of Sarah Everard in 2021, gaps were found in the Met's sample collection as part of wider vetting and recruitment failings.

The issue of DNA and fingerprint elimination databases on serving police officers was not specifically mentioned in either the Casey Review or the Angiolini inquiries.

However Labour former minister Dawn Butler raised this issue on social media in 2023, asking whether officers should have their DNA on a database, arguing it was needed for crime elimination, transparency and accountability.

After learning of the latest figures, she said it was "deeply disappointing" that progress remained slow on ensuring that biometric data of all officers is recorded.

She also said these checks were an "essential safeguard to help restore confidence in our police service".

"I have long pushed for the Met Police to ensure that the DNA and fingerprints of every single serving officer are properly recorded on the database, so it is deeply disappointing to learn that progress has been slow," the Brent MP said.

"There can be no more delay - the Met must now act with urgency to ensure every officer is included."

Scotland Yard says it aims to ensure that the DNA and fingerprints for every serving police officer in the Metropolitan Police and Met Special Constabulary are collected, recorded and uploaded to the elimination database by 31 March 2028.

The Met Police spokesperson said: "Given the size of our organisation and the complexity of the issue, it has taken time to fully understand the extent of the gaps and build the infrastructure to address these.

"We have been proactive in doing so and remain committed to ensuring this work is robust and as effective as possible.

"Under this commissioner the Met has made progress, including by establishing a more reliable data gathering process to identify those individuals whose DNA or fingerprints we do not currently hold."

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