The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has partnered with the NSW Police Force in a study to determine whether DNA technology used by United States law enforcement to catch the Golden State Killer can be used in Australia.
A group of specialists from both Agencies, along with collaborators from other Australian jurisdictions, are assessing Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG) as an investigative tool.
In a statement, the AFP said the FGG tool, also known as long-range familial DNA searching, would be used to identify suspects and missing people when no match was found on current criminal DNA databases.
It said the method used a wider set of genetic markers than the current technology available to Australian law enforcement.
The AFP said FGG would allow investigators to identify familial matches up to third and fourth cousins, whereas current familial searching on the National Criminal Investigation DNA Database could only identify close family matches.
Coordinator of Research and Innovation at the AFP, Nathan Scudder; Research Coordinator from the Science and Research Unit at the NSW Police Force, Jennifer Raymond; and Manager of Science and Technology at the NSW Police Force, Alison Sears, completed a six-month FGG course in the US.
The researchers, and forensic counterparts from Victoria, are now evaluating whether the technology should be used in Australia.
Dr Scudder said police in Australia were constantly evaluating new and innovative techniques to solve cases.
“Serious and violent offenders shouldn’t think that because they have never given a DNA sample it means they can get away with their crimes,” he said.
“A family connection may lead police straight to their door,” Dr Scudder said.
