​​​​CODIS stands for Combined DNA Index System. This is a national database comprised of several indexes including DNA profiles from convicted offenders, arrestee, detainee, and legal samples, profiles developed from evidence in unsolved crimes and profiles developed for the identification of missing persons. CODIS automatically searches these indexes for matching DNA profiles. When a match, or “hit”, occurs to the convicted offender index law enforcement can coordinate to learn the identity of the suspect. 

Minnesota Statue 609.117​ requires all felony level offenders to provide a biological specimen for the purpose of DNA analysis. The CODIS Section is responsible for receiving, analyzing, verifying and uploading DNA samples from convicted offenders to the national database. As of June 2024, the National DNA Index System (NDIS) has more than 22.2 million convicted offenders, legal, arrestee and detainee samples in CODIS, which has aided in over 694,000 investigations across the United States.