Bloomberg calls for DNA testing of all those arrested!

In his speech today, Bloomberg advocated DNA testing of every person arrested. Not just those who are convicted, but ARRESTED.


Mayor Bloomberg's Speech 1/17/2008 as reported by the NY Times

"In the year ahead, we'll use the latest technology to continue turning up the heat on criminals – and, to more quickly exonerate the innocent. The single most powerful way to do both is through DNA analysis. Two years ago, we convinced the State Legislature to expand DNA testing to cover all convicted felons, and some misdemeanors. This year, we will urge Albany to follow the lead of the federal government – and a growing number of European countries – by taking DNA fingerprints from all those who are arrested. This would help keep the innocent out of jail and the guilty off our streets."

asking truants to see the serial #s on their Sidekicks

Check out this new policy by NYPD to ask (non-criminal!) truant teenagers if they can check the serial #s on their Sidekicks. This is interesting in terms individualized suspicion - asking every single truant for the opportunity to check if their cellphone is stolen simply because there's a high rate of cellphone theft is a little hard to swallow, even if it is "voluntary"..


Police Are Tracking Thefts of Sidekick Phones: NYTimes blog article by Sewell Chan.