NationStates Jolt Archive

Now the police will be able to take your DNA sample on the street...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/genes/article/0,,2139673,00.html

The Home Office is considering giving the police the power to take a DNA sample on the street, without taking the suspect to a police station, as well as taking samples from suspects in relatively minor offences such as littering, speeding or not wearing a seat belt.

Between that, and the CCTV everywhere (including those damnable speed cameras), do any of you actually feel safer?

Does anyone here think this is a good idea?

I think that the police should be required to at least arrest you - if they're taking the sample from you. If you spit on the sidewalk, well, you just put one in the public domain.

do you not have an opinion about this post either?

do you not have an opinion about this post either?

Yes, I did. It's in the OP. Or did you not read it?

do you not have an opinion about this post either?

Let's see -

I think that the police should be required to at least arrest you - if they're taking the sample from you. If you spit on the sidewalk, well, you just put one in the public domain.

Yep, there's an opinion there...

Oh, I get it. You're blind.

i wish the UK would stop with this shit.

it only gives our own politicians the feeling that they should be able to do the same thing.

i wish the UK would stop with this shit.

it only gives our own politicians the feeling that they should be able to do the same thing.

I get the impression that the UK government gets to change these things without passing a single law.

I get the impression that the UK government gets to change these things without passing a single law.

its probably just an impression. i have the impression that no one in the UK has a problem with the idea.

its not like it would be soooo hard to do here....

"driving is a privilege not a right, therefore to qualify for your license to drive you must submit to a DNA test and put your fingerprints on file."

done.

I get the impression that the UK government gets to change these things without passing a single law.

Missed this bit?
The initiative comes as the Home Office finishes consulting on police powers to extend use of the DNA database, with a view to legislation this autumn

i wish the UK would stop with this shit.

So do we.

Fortunately, may != will, but frankly I'm not optimistic at all.

i wish the UK would stop with this shit.
As does everybody in the UK, really.

Right now, some very old germans hiding in a small village in Brazil are reading this and going, "I wish we had that." :p

Right now, some very old germans hiding in a small village in Brazil are reading this and going, "I wish we had that." :p

*gasp* You know about those Brazilian boys?:eek:

Is it just me or does it seem that the UK is slowly becoming a police state?
...just me? ok.

Is it just me or does it seem that the UK is slowly becoming a police state?
...just me? ok.

The innocent have nothing to fear.

Is it just me or does it seem that the UK is slowly becoming a police state?
...just me? ok.

No, this is a sentiment shared by many.

It's not a major inconvenience, yet can yield considerable rewards. If it can help to curb crime, obligingly allowing a cotton swab to be inserted into one's mouth is the least one can do.

The innocent have nothing to fear.

Bollocks to that. Not only does it make an axiom of the notion that such powers will never be abused, but it also disregards ideological considerations.

We are no safer now than we were in 1997; though CCTV, speed cameras and police powers have expanded, the sentances passed have been reduced in severity, thus giving the expansion of "security" measures little point.

It's not a major inconvenience, yet can yield considerable rewards. If it can help to curb crime, obligingly allowing a cotton swab to be inserted into one's mouth is the least one can do.
Fuck off ;)

It requires legislation RO...

If you are going to comment please read the article and have a basic grasp of the legislative process in the UK.

We are no safer now than we were in 1997; though CCTV, speed cameras and police powers have expanded, the sentances passed have been reduced in severity, thus giving the expansion of "security" measures little point.

you're right, we need more severe sentences to go with these stronger powers too. I say bring back hanging. For a start.

It requires legislation RO...

If you are going to comment please read the article and have a basic grasp of the legislative process in the UK.

Pfft. We all know the queen waves her hand when things need to get done over there. :p Or taps a spoon against a teacup, I can't remember which. ;)

you're right, we need more severe sentences to go with these stronger powers too. I say bring back hanging. For a start.

Good call. Additionally, I propose an immigrant exchange. I say: send us your Arabs - we can house them in Cuba, while returning an equal number of Mexicans. They're hard-working, and while occasionally religious, rarely explode. :)

Good call. Additionally, I propose an immigrant exchange. I say: send us your Arabs - we can house them in Cuba, while returning an equal number of Mexicans. They're hard-working, and while occasionally religious, rarely explode. :)
Just huge amounts of wrong in this post.

'Arabs' (whoever the hell they are...) haven't blown up anything in Britain. A very small amount of young British citizens, however, have been.

Rather ineffectually, I might add.

Just huge amounts of wrong in this post.

'Arabs' (whoever the hell they are...) haven't blown up anything in Britain. A very small amount of young British citizens, however, have been.

Rather ineffectually, I might add.

Eh. That wasn't a serious policy position, if it wasn't obvious. :p

*gasp* You know about those Brazilian boys?:eek:

Is it just me or does it seem that the UK is slowly becoming a police state?
...just me? ok.


What do you mean "slowly"? We are walking directly into a police state. For goodness sakes, this New Labour Gov't is the first to see "1984" as a promotional video!
And now they also want to opt out of several paragraphs of the European Human Rights Act, which would easily pave the way for legislation of this nature.

Eh. That wasn't a serious policy position, if it wasn't obvious. :p
It wasn't the obviously spoof policy but the use of the terms 'immigrants' and 'Arabs' that I was objecting to.

The implication you made, even in a jokey post, that foreigners were/are attacking British targets is just plain wrong.

It's kids from Leeds. :(

It wasn't the obviously spoof policy but the use of the terms 'immigrants' and 'Arabs' that I was objecting to.

The implication you made, even in a jokey post, that foreigners were/are attacking British targets is just plain wrong.

It's kids from Leeds. :(

Unfortunately there are often incited to such acts by various members of the immigrant society.

It wasn't the obviously spoof policy but the use of the terms 'immigrants' and 'Arabs' that I was objecting to.

The implication you made, even in a jokey post, that foreigners were/are attacking British targets is just plain wrong.

It's kids from Leeds. :(

Northeners are foreign to us southern jessies.;)

Unfortunately there are often incited to such acts by various members of the immigrant society.
And what, pray tell, is the 'immigrant society'?

A club where all the Australians and Poles get together to plot the downfall of society as we know it?

Northeners are foreign to us southern jessies.
And you're all English bastards to us inherently racist Scots. :-p

"I don't hate the English—they're just wankers. We, on the other hand, are colonised by wankers."

And what, pray tell, is the 'immigrant society'?

A club where all the Australians and Poles get together to plot the downfall of society as we know it?


And you're all English bastards to us inherently racist Scots. :-p

"I don't hate the English—they're just wankers. We, on the other hand, are colonised by wankers."

That's like the welsh rugby mantra; "I support two teams. Wales, and whoever's playing England".

That's like the welsh rugby mantra; "I support two teams. Wales, and whoever's playing England".
Aww, we all love you silly sods really.

:fluffle:

i don't see how they can make you give up a sample without arresting you. it would have to be voluntary if it was implemented at all.

Aww, we all love you silly sods really.

:fluffle:

Shove off Johnny Foreigner!;)

And what, pray tell, is the 'immigrant society'?

A club where all the Australians and Poles get together to plot the downfall of society as we know it?

At this moment somewhere in East London:

“Damn foiled again!

You say we have been discovered, yet how can this be?! First the Nazi’s, then the soviets, and now the British have discovered our master plan. I told you that we should never have trusted these Australians!”