Majority favour national DNA registry

Nearly 80 percent say that cataloging the DNA of everyone in the country is a good idea

Feb 4, 2015

The government should have the right to collect a DNA sample from everyone living in the country to create a national registry that police can use in investigations.

The results of an Epinion poll taken for DR Nyheder showed that 76 percent of those asked thought a DNA registry was a good idea. Only 14 percent said no, and the rest were unsure.

Police currently only maintain a database of suspects that have been involved in an investigation, and those samples are erased after ten years if a suspect has not been convicted of a crime.

Cops happy
Claus Oxfeldt, the foreman of the police association Politiforbundet, welcomed the results and said it “just made sense” to maintain a national DNA registry.

“It is important to be able to quickly remove suspicion against someone who is wrongly accused,” Oxfeldt told DR Nyheder. “There have been ugly incidents in the past.”

Oxfeldt mentioned the case of the murder of a young girl in Herning on New Year's Eve, 2010. Jan Lindholt Mikkelsen was arrested and his name and picture were published in the media.

It was later revealed that Mikkelsen had no part in the killing

Hacker bait?
In 2012, hackers managed to steal personal information from police databases, and a national registry will put police in possession of highly sensitive personal information.

Oxfeldt denied that protecting DNA information would be a problem.

“Police have handled sensitive personal information for years, and we can handle this as well,” he said.

Politicians wary
Politicians are divided on the idea of a national DNA registry. SF and Socialdemokraterne are skeptical and believe that there are many considerations to consider, including privacy, before establishing a registry.

Only Dansk Folkeparti (DF) is 100 percent onboard.

“When we get the chance, we will beat the drum for introducing a registry”, DF spokesperson Peter Skaarup told DR Nyheder. “It is a good tool for the police that will save money in connection investigations because it would rapidly exclude a number of suspects in serious crimes."

DF has already proposed the registration of all newborns.

TOP STORIES

New agreement criticized for not attracting enough internationals

Several mayors and business leaders across Denmark are not satisfied with the agreement that the government, the trade union movement and employers made last week. More internationals are needed than the agreement provides for
Let’s not fear the global – let’s use it wisely

Copenhagen’s international community is not just a demographic trend – it’s a lifeline. Our hospitals, kindergartens, construction sites, laboratories and restaurants rely on talent from all over the world. In fact, more than 40% of all job growth in the city over the past decade has come from international employees.
The Danish Connection: Roskilde gossip, a DNA scandal & why young Danes are having less sex

With half of the population of Copenhagen at Roskilde this week, Eva away in Aalborg and the weather being a bit of a joke , Melissa and Rachel bring you a chatty episode to cheer you up looking into three of the top stories in Denmark this week.
A nation turns its hopeful eyes to Jonas Vingegaard

The Tour de France has started and thus the news focus in Denmark for the next few weeks is defined. The double Tour winner will once again compete with the phenomenon Tadej Pogacar to stand at the top in Paris. Many Danes will daily follow whether one of the nation’s great sons succeeds
Palestine support voices characterize Roskilde in rain, sun and wind

The 53rd edition of Roskilde Festival ended Saturday night. More than 100,000 people gathered to listen to music, party, drink – and for many to take a stand on the conflict between Israel and Palestine
Air France-KLM will be the majority owner of SAS

Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) may have French-Dutch Air France-KLM as a major shareholder. SAS has had some difficult years, but the share purchase could be the start of brighter times

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Summer Greetings from
The Connect Club
☀️⛱️😎

Career

“It’s possible to lead even though you don’t fit the traditional leadership mold”

Describing herself as a “DEI poster child,” being queer, neurodivergent and an international in Denmark didn’t stop Laurence Paquette from climbing the infamous corporate ladder to become Marketing Vice President (VP) at Vestas. Arrived in 2006 from Quebec, Laurence Paquette unpacks the implications of exposing your true self at work, in a country that lets little leeway for individuality
Deal reached to bring more foreign workers to Denmark

Agreement between unions and employers allows more foreign workers in Denmark under lower salary requirements, with new ID card rules and oversight to prevent social dumping and ensure fair conditions.
New association helps international nurses and doctors Denmark

Kadre Darman was founded this year to support foreign-trained healthcare professionals facing challenges with difficult authorisation processes, visa procedures, and language barriers, aiming to help them find jobs and contribute to Denmark’s healthcare system

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Jobs