The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office is in full compliance with recent changes to a state law that requires law enforcement agencies to collect DNA samples from people they arrest for violent felony crimes.

An amendment that took effect on January 1st established a new system known as CODIS – the Combined DNA Index System – that is to be maintained by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Changes to an existing law require collection of a DNA sample from each person charged with a violent crime, as defined in the act. The TBI provides law enforcement agencies with a buccal swab collection kit to take the sample, which is them sent to one of the CODIS collection centers located in each of the state’s three grand divisions. The one serving our area is located in Knoxville.

Capt. Gabe Thomas of the correction division said they have taken samples from people arrested by BCSO deputies. Samples are taken from inside the mouth.

Violent felony offenses as defined in the law are:

• First or second degree murder.
• Aggravated kidnapping or especially aggravated kidnapping.
• Aggravated assault.
• Aggravated child abuse.
• Robbery, aggravated robbery or especially aggravated robbery.
• Aggravated burglary or especially aggravated burglary.
• Carjacking.
• Sexual battery, sexual battery by an authority figure or aggravated sexual battery.
• Statutory rape by an authority figure or aggravated sexual battery,
• Rape, aggravated rape, rape of a child or aggravated rape of a child.
• Aggravated arson
• Attempt to commit any of the offenses listed above.
• Solicitation to commit any of the offenses listed above.
• Conspiracy to commit any of the offenses listed above.
• Criminal responsibility for any of the offenses listed above.
• Facilitating the commission, of any of the offenses listed above.
• Being an accessory after the fact of any of the offenses listed above.

Another provision of the law requires samples from persons who are required to register as a sexual offender after July 1, 2007.

In cases where charges are dismissed or the defendant is acquitted, the law requires destruction of the sample and all DNA records if there are no other pending charges under the act.

Capt. Thomas said the booking office staff has amended their procedures to include the collection of DNA for offenders arrested by BCSO deputies.