Audit into the retention of human tissue

ACPO lead on forensic pathology, Deputy Chief Constable Debbie Simpson, said:

"Following a suspicious or unexplained death, the police routinely use powers to retain material taken from bodies at post mortem examinations.

"Samples are retained as part of the investigation to establish cause of death and for evidential purposes such as toxicology examination. In some cases material is retained for significant periods both as a requirement of the criminal investigation and in order to fulfil legal requirements.

"In April 2010, the Human Tissue Authority informed NHS and local authority mortuaries that it would be auditing post mortem samples retained by them. While samples held by police for the prevention, detection or prosecution of crime do not by law fall under the HTA, ACPO is coordinating an audit of human tissues in historical suspicious death and homicide cases among all UK police forces, to establish the current situation in terms of police holdings.

"The audit will allow us to identify and consider the most appropriate way of sensitively dealing with tissue no longer needed for criminal justice purposes."

For more information please contact:

ACPO Press Office
Association of Chief Police Officers
e: press.office@acpo.pnn.police.uk