State Lawmaker Wants To Take All Misdemeanor Offenders’ DNA

DENVER (CBS4) – There’s a proposal to collect DNA from everyone who commits a crime in Colorado, no matter how small.

The state already has DNA from the worst felons. Now Rep. Dan Pabone, D-Denver, wants to add the DNA of people convicted of misdemeanors. That’s more than 33,000 people a year in Colorado.

From disorderly conduct to public intoxication, DUIs to shoplifting, anyone convicted of a misdemeanor would have to provide a sample of DNA if state lawmakers go along with Pabone’s bill.

“This is a bill going to protect people and save lives,” Pabone said.

The DNA would be collected as a saliva swab and put in the state database, which already holds the DNA of felons, giving police a massive genetic lineup.

“It does same thing that fingerprints do, but just in more a accurate, sophisticated way,” Pabone said.

Pabone says statistics show people who commit minor crimes go on to commit more serious crimes, and DNA would be a way to both convict criminals and exonerate the innocent.

Even prosecutors are undecided.

“There’s no question that...