Missouri Senate hears proposal to allow DNA swabbing for robbery arrests
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Missouri Senate hears proposal to allow DNA swabbing for robbery arrests

Date: February 16, 2010
By: Alex Klingelhoeffer
State Capitol Bureau
Links: SB 779

Intro:  Missouri Senators started floor debate Tuesday on expanding DNA profiling to robbery arrests.
RunTime:  0:38
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Jackson County Republican Matt Bartle sponsors the bill which would allow police to take a DNA sample from those arrested on suspicion of robbery.

Bartle said county prosecutors average 3 DNA hits a week, helping link law enforcement to past offenders.

Actuality:  BARTLE.WAV
Run Time:  00:14
Description: "It helps us identify more quickly those who have committed crimes and it saves others from having to go through the agony of being investigated by the state for a crime that they did not commit."

Bartle added that having more DNA in the system will lead to more hits, meaning authorities could solve more cold cases.

From the state Capitol, I'm Alex Klingelhoeffer

Intro:  Missouri senators debated the act of swabbing robbery suspects for DNA Tuesday.
RunTime:  0:45
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The bill's sponsor, Jackson County Republican Matt Bartle said collecting more samples will lead to more hits in the DNA database.

Current law allows police to test all convicted felons as well as those arrested on suspicion of murder, burglary, and sex crimes.

Bartle says the reason to swab is simple.

Actuality:  BARTLE1.WAV
Run Time:  00:10
Description: "We're going to catch more bad guys, so yeah, I think by expanding it to include arrests for robbery we are going to solve many more cases."

The bill also allows DNA evidence from crime scenes to be held by police indefinitely if  the sample's identity is unknown.

Bartle said the bill would stop what he called the silly routine of state prosecutors filing John Doe charges against unknown offenders.

From the State Capitol, I'm Alex Klingelhoeffer.