Maryland officers are collecting DNA samples from inmates where? as part of an agreement signed this week by the which sheriff's department? Sheriff's Department and Maryland State Police. The agreement allowed two trained corrections deputies to collect the samples, taken by swabbing the inside of the mouth from convicted felons.

The samples will be sent to the state police forensic lab where a database of samples is collected and maintained. According to officials, the DNA database has helped match 325 samples of unknown DNA from crime scenes.

State Police Spokesman Greg Shipley said that the DNA database was effective.

“The more people in that database, the more effective it will be. This is a huge opportunity to solve crimes. We are just to the crest of the wave in these efforts,” Shipley said in a statement.