Police will no longer need court approval to get DNA samples from suspects under new powers to be granted as part of the Labor government's strategy to tackle law and order.

Currently police can only forcibly obtain a sample from a suspect with a court order if a person refuses.

Illustration: Judy Green

But under the new powers, Victoria police will be able to collect DNA from a person, aged over 15, suspected of committing an indictable offence - including burglary, theft, sex offences, assaults and murder - without court approval.

Premier Daniel Andrews has been under increasing pressure to tackle rising crime and to neutralise attacks that his Labor government is weak on crime.