I am determined they are equipped with the latest in technology to do this. We are now on the threshold of some of the most exciting changes in police technology in decades. These advances have the potential to help the police clear up more crimes, free police time and speed communications. 21st Century police officers will be able to tap into a national fingerprint database, capable of comparing over one million fingerprints every second. Already, over 5000 identifications have been made since pilots began.
More matches mean more clear ups, more criminals caught and less crime.
Breakthroughs in DNA technology mean that offenders can be matched to scenes of crime through microscopic samples of no more than two or three human cells - sometimes years after the event. Every week around 600 matches are made on the National DNA Database and every week dangerous criminals are taken off the streets as a result. The measures I have outlined today will help ensure the police are ready to take full advantage of the techno-police revolution to crack down hard on 21st Century criminals. To date there have been 120 mass DNA screens, with certain individuals having to be approached a number of times to act as volunteer donors. This is a waste of time and money.