Government Laboratory
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DNA Database Section
An Amendment Bill to three of the security-related ordinances, namely the Dangerous Drugs, Independent Commission Against Corruption and Police Force (Amendment) Bill 2000 was introduced to the Legislative Council in the beginning of the year 2000. After some twenty meetings in which members of the Council deliberated in detail its contents, the Bill was finally passed as Ordinance in June 2000. In the Dangerous Drugs, Independent Commission Against Corruption and Police Force (Amendment) Ordinance 2000, provisions were made for the setting up and maintaining by the Government Laboratory, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, a database storing DNA information of persons convicted of a serious arrestable offence.
The DNA Database Section was set up subsequently in October 2000 in the Government Laboratory. Its main responsibilities are to perform DNA analysis on samples from persons convicted of a serious arrestable offence, those suspected of having committed a criminal offence and volunteers, set up in computerized form a DNA database and administer and maintain that database.
A DNA database on convicted persons is only useful for crime investigation if the information could be compared against DNA information of unsolved cases. Whilst DNA information of unsolved cases will be generated by the Biochemical Sciences Sections, both the DNA Database Section and the Biochemical Sciences Sections will have to use the same techniques for information to be compatible and comparable.
In order that the DNA database can be administered easily and effectively, the requirements on computing facilities, especially on the software, are very specific.
Another significant area of responsibility of the DNA Database Section is the liaison with other law enforcement agencies and the Security Bureau to assist in the smooth and successful implementation of the Ordinance. Working groups have been set up with representatives from the Police, the ICAC and the laboratory to address issues related to Computing & Statistics, Equipment & Tools, Training & Monitoring and Internal Guidelines. The progress of these working groups is in turn monitored by the Implementation Team and the Steering Group, each composing representatives from the departments as well as the Security Bureau. Implementation of the Ordinance had already started on 1st July 2001.
The contact numbers for the professional officers of the section are listed below :
Senior Chemist, Chemist and Forensic Analyst |
Tel. No. |
| Dr. K M Lai, Senior Chemist (kmlai@govtlab.gov.hk) |
2242-6757 |
| Mr. Johnny C W Chau, Chemist (cwchau@govtlab.gov.hk) |
2242-6761 |
Ms. Katrina S M Lee, Forensic Analyst |
2242-6762 |
| Ms. D Y Luk, Chemist (dyluk@govtlab.gov.hk) |
2242-6755 |
Key Performance Measures Relating to the Forensic Science Services
Targets
| Category | Targets Working Days Per Case | 2006 (Actual) |
2007 (Actual) |
2008 (Plan) |
| DNA database (DNA profiling) | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 |
Key Indicators
Key indicators are the number of cases completed
| Number of Cases Investigated | 2006 (Actual) |
2007 (Actual) |
2008 (Estimate) |
| DNA database | 4,298 | 4,833 | 5,000 |
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