Commentary on Sections Taking of fingerprints and samples: England and Wales Section 6: Power to require attendance at police station
43.Section 6 inserts a new Schedule 2A into PACE which sets out the powers to require attendance at a police station in respect of both the existing and new powers to take biometric data. For each power in PACE to take biometric data from those no longer in police detention (whether existing or which is being inserted by these provisions), there is a power to require a person to attend a police station for the purpose of taking those data, and for a constable to arrest a person who does not comply with a requirement to attend.
44.The Schedule puts some time limits on the power to require attendance. In cases where fingerprints or samples of a person arrested or charged are being taken because the previous ones were inadequate in some way, the power must be exercised within six months of the day on which the relevant police officer learnt of the inadequacy. There are also time limits where the fingerprints or samples are to be taken under new section 61(5B) (fingerprints from person charged), section 61(6) (fingerprints from person convicted), new section 63(3A) (non-intimate sample from person charged) and new section 63(3B) (non-intimate sample from person convicted) of PACE. But the time limits do not apply in cases where a person has been convicted of a qualifying offence or, in the case of non-intimate samples, where the person is convicted of an offence prior to 10 April 1995 and he is a person to whom section 1 of the Criminal Evidence (Amendment) Act 1997 applies (see above). In these cases the power to compel attendance may be exercised at any time.
45.Paragraph 6 of new Schedule 2A to be inserted into PACE provides that where a person’s fingerprints have been taken under section 61 of PACE on two occasions in relation to any offence, he may not be required to attend a police station to have his fingerprints taken again under that section in relation to that offence without the authorisation of an officer of at least the rank of inspector. Paragraph 14 imposes the same requirement for non-intimate samples taken under section 63 of PACE.
46.Paragraph 15 of new Schedule 2A stipulates that where authorisation is required for the taking of fingerprints or a sample this must be obtained before a person is required to attend the police station.
47.Paragraph 16 of new Schedule 2A makes provision regarding the time a person shall be given to attend a police station and the ability of a person to vary the date or time of attendance.