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Lower Bucks County lawmakers gathered at Comic Collection in Lower Southampton Township last Thursday to point to the crucial role of DNA technology in enhancing public safety and solving crimes.
The press conference featured prominent state and local officials, including State Sen. Frank Farry, a Republican, and GOP state representatives K.C. Tomlinson, Joe Hogan, and others, alongside First Assistant District Attorney Ed Louka and Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran, a Republican.
The lawmakers discussed their support for Senate Bill 988, and its companion legislation House Bill 2030, which are aimed at expanding DNA collection to include anyone charged with a felony or specific misdemeanors, akin to fingerprinting procedures.
“One of our goals as elected officials is to ensure our communities are safe and our law enforcement and prosecutors have the right tools to be able to properly do their jobs. Our legislation will enhance public safety, bring closure to crime victims, and maintain the integrity of our criminal justice system,” Farry said.
If a person is found not guilty or they are not charged, their DNA sample could be expunged, according to the proposed legislation.
The lawmakers pointed to a recent investigation by the Lower Southampton Police Department, which utilized DNA evidence to charge two individuals from Michigan for a violent robbery at Comic Collection in September 2022.
The breakthrough came 18 months after the crime.
The lawmakers highlighted the technology’s potential to resolve long-standing cases.
Dave Schwartz, owner of the comic shop, recounted the incident and expressed his relief over the progress toward justice, thanking local law enforcement for their unwavering commitment.
Additionally, the proposed laws seek to address a loophole by mandating DNA collection from those convicted of criminal homicide, which is not classified as a felony under current Pennsylvania law.
First Assistant District Attorney Edward Louka highlighted the dual benefits of DNA technology in securing convictions and exonerating the innocent.
“District Attorney Jennifer Schorn, in her 20-plus years in law enforcement, has seen countless times how crucial DNA evidence can be, not only in charging and convicting violent offenders, but also in eliminating potential suspects who are innocent of any crime,” said Bucks County First Assistant District Attorney Edward Louka. “This bill helps further these goals and ultimately keep the public safer,” Louka said.
Tomlinson described the legislation as “necessary, needed, and common sense.”
At the press conference, Hogan pointed out that similar practices are already in place in nineteen states, including Texas and California, as well as at the federal level.
A 2017 article from news organization Stateline cited critics, such as defense lawyers and civil rights organizations, who have concerns about collection of DNA samples at the time of arrest.
Those opposed argued that collecting DNA samples from individuals at the time of their arrest presumes their involvement in additional, unrelated criminal activities, or may even wrongfully connect them to crimes for which they are not under investigation for.
