Biometric sample

Biometric means fingerprints and DNA samples.

We may require a sample of your fingerprints, DNA and a photograph of you if you:

• have been charged with a criminal offence
• if your samples were taken while in custody, but we require further samples

If required, the officer dealing with your case will be in contact to arrange a suitable date, time, and location to get the required samples.

If you do not consent or comply with the requirement made, you may then become liable for arrest, in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, Schedule 2A (63A(4), 17 – ‘a constable may arrest without warrant, a person who has failed to comply with the requirement to attend an appointment for a biometric sample to be taken’.

Legislation

Schedule 2A and Sections 61, 63 and 64A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 respectively provides the police with the power to require fingerprints, DNA and photographs from an individual who is arrested, charged, or convicted with a recordable offence.

Service of this charge, in accordance with Part 4 of The Criminal Procedure Rules 2020, means you are now eligible to have such samples taken.

Processing samples

Biometric samples are processed and placed on national databases, where they are retained and may be subject to speculative searching, either immediately or in the future.

What is required

Fingerprints

A record (in any form and produced by any method) of the skin pattern and other physical characteristics or features of:

• your fingers; or
• either of your palms

DNA sample (non-intimate)

• a sample of hair (not pubic hair)
• a sample taken from a nail or from under a nail
• a swab taken from any part of your body including the mouth but not any other body orifice (a mouth swab is a non-intimate sample)