Individuals whose DNA profiles, Fingerprints and photographs are held by PSNI

Date asked:
Board Member:Les Allamby
Question type:Written

Question 

Could the Chief Constable outline the number of individuals whose (a) DNA profiles (b) Fingerprints and (c) photographs are held by PSNI?

Answer

(A) DNA profiles 

There are 247 895 individual profiles on the NI DNA Database but with the caveat that an unknown minority of these will be duplicate profiles of those already held on the database. 

(B) Fingerprints 

There are approximately 323 067 persons’ fingerprints that are currently held in the database but with the caveat that an unknown minority of these will be duplicates. In addition, there are approximately 14 067 historic anti-terrorist prints held and an unknown number of these will be duplicates of those already held in the larger collection. 

(C)Photographs 

The PSNI currently hold images in relation to 182 253 unique individuals against a PSNI record on their NICHE record management system. 

The main source of these photographs is captured during processing in PSNI Custody suites alongside fingerprints and DNA under PACE. Photographs are captured every time an individual is processed through a PSNI Custody suite. There will therefore be multiple photographs for each individual record. 

The response provided above treats all custody images taken of a single unique individual as one unique record.

This information is based on data extracted from a live crime recording system and may be subject to change. It is dependent on the information having been input into the system in such a way as to identify those records that are relevant.

Les Allamby