Statement from Senator Brad Hoylman on NYPD's Rogue DNA Index

NEW YORK CITY – State Senator Brad Hoylman (D/WF-Manhattan), who sponsors legislation with Assembly Member Tremaine Wright on municipal DNA indexes (S6009/A7818), issued the following statement in response to today’s hearing in the New York City Council:

“There are 82,000 New Yorkers whose most private genetic information is stored inside New York City’s rogue DNA index. Many have never committed a crime, and have had their DNA taken through a process known as ‘genetic stop-and-frisk.’ This brazen and unlawful violation of New Yorkers’ privacy must end.

“There’s only one DNA index that’s authorized by state law: the New York State DNA Databank. This databank was carefully created by the State Legislature with rules in place to keep us safe and protect our privacy. Any other DNA index in New York State is unlawful and unauthorized. No amount of self-regulation from NYPD can change the simple fact that their DNA index is not legally authorized to exist.

“We must pass the bill I sponsor with Assembly Member Wright to make New York State law even clearer: the New York State DNA Databank is the only databank authorized to exist by law, and local governments cannot establish their own additional databanks.”

Senator Hoylman and Assembly Member Wright’s legislation (S6009/A7818) clarifies New York State Law to emphasize the sole permanent DNA identification index authorized by law is the index lawfully maintained by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DJCS). It also prohibits local governments from establishing or maintaining any additional DNA indexes.