Following criticism from city, state and federal officials, Police Chief William Scott issued a statement Tuesday afternoon that said misusing DNA collected from victims “risks having a chilling effect on sexual assault reporting. We must never create disincentives for crime victims or survivors to cooperate with police."
One week ago, San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin called the practice illegal.
In response, Scott has said that he shared Boudin's concerns and pledged to review the department's practices and policies collecting DNA evidence.
Last week, the city's Public Defender's Office said the practice tramples on the public's constitutionally protected privacy rights and called it an abuse of state power.
Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff, of Burbank, wrote a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, asking him to investigate how police agencies around the country are using such evidence. The letter also urged Wray to review the existing protections in place to ensure the integrity of the federal DNA database.
