Police now have children's DNA on their database

Eldorado Park police have been going around schools collecting fingerprints of Grade R and Grade One pupils.

“The safety of our children is a priority,” Captain Phillemon Khorombi said.

Together with the Local Drug Action Committee (LDAC), police say that when children go missing, parents don’t have recent photos of their children.

“By having some sort of DNA of children, it’s easier for us when children go missing,” Khorombi said.

Lorna De Villiers from Elridge Primary School said the initiative also shows a different side of police to children.

“Children must know that police aren’t here to hurt them but to protect. Children are often scared of police but now they will see that police aren’t scary,” De Villiers said.