A review of a Danish police database has found that 32,366 fingerprints were coded incorrectly, an error officials described as serious. The finding raised questions about the reliability of records used in criminal investigations.
Justice Minister Nicolai Wammen called the situation extremely serious and said it was in no way acceptable. His comments signalled that the government intends to treat the problem as a priority.
Fingerprint records are a core tool for police, used to link suspects to crime scenes and to confirm identities. Errors in how the prints are logged can complicate cases and undermine confidence in the underlying system.
Authorities did not immediately detail how the miscoding occurred or how far back it stretched. Correcting the records and checking whether any cases were affected is likely to take time and careful work.
The episode adds to broader scrutiny of how public bodies manage sensitive data. Officials will face pressure to explain what went wrong and to show that the database can be trusted going forward.
