POLICE officers are arresting people just to get them on the national DNA database, it was claimed today.

Officers are being told to arrest “for everything” where they have the power to, simply in order to take a genetic sample, a report said.

The explosive allegation was made in a report by the Government’s genetics advisers, the Human Genetics Commission.

A retired police superintendent has warned the Commission that the tradition of arresting only when dealing with serious offences had collapsed.

But, since the database was created in 1995, things had changed, he said.

In a letter to the Commission, he said: “It is now the norm to arrest offenders for everything if there is a power to do so.

“It is apparently understood by officers that one of the reasons, if not the reason, for the change in practice, is so that the DNA of the offender can be obtained: samples can be obtained after arrest but not if there is a report for summons.

Isabella Sankey, director of policy at Liberty said: “We are also creating a perverse incentive to arrest people solely to get their details on the database.

“Parliament will shortly have the opportunity to amend DNA retention, but Government proposals don’t go nearly far enough.”