c-ray
04-22-2006, 02:48 PM
By Rachael Langford
22apr06
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,18895480%255E1702,00.html
QUEENSLAND laws allowing the use of police sniffer dogs in public places should be reviewed, civil libertarians said today.
Australian Council for Civil Liberties President Terry O'Gorman made the comment following what the council said was a poor strike rate on a sniffer dog's first official outing last night.
Police say the dog had indicated 50 people were in possession of illegal drugs during a crackdown on illegal drugs in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley nightclub precinct.
Of 50 people indicated by the dog, only 13 were arrested on 17 drug charges.
The dog, a black labrador, was working for the first time under a new amendment to the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act. The amendment allows the use of drug detection dogs in public places and licensed venues.
Police say more than 100 ecstasy tablets, methamphetamine, cannabis and a quantity of cash were seized during the "Walk the Line" operation.
Of the 37 people found not to be in possession of illegal substances, some admitted to having previously had drugs on their person or being in environments where drugs were being consumed around them, police said.
Police Superintendent Tonya Carew hailed the operation a success.
But Mr O'Gorman said it was ineffective and a waste of police resources.
"If there is that high a percentage of false indications given by the dogs, clearly the dogs are nowhere near as well trained as the police say they are," Mr O'Gorman said.
"Some drugs were found, but it shouldn't be at the price of a significant number of people having to be publicly and humiliatingly searched when there was clearly nothing on them."
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie congratulated police on the operation.
"We need to get drugs out of our nightclubs, and we've made it really clear, we'll tackle all the serious drugs because it will destroy the lives of a lot of young people," Mr Beattie said.
22apr06
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,18895480%255E1702,00.html
QUEENSLAND laws allowing the use of police sniffer dogs in public places should be reviewed, civil libertarians said today.
Australian Council for Civil Liberties President Terry O'Gorman made the comment following what the council said was a poor strike rate on a sniffer dog's first official outing last night.
Police say the dog had indicated 50 people were in possession of illegal drugs during a crackdown on illegal drugs in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley nightclub precinct.
Of 50 people indicated by the dog, only 13 were arrested on 17 drug charges.
The dog, a black labrador, was working for the first time under a new amendment to the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act. The amendment allows the use of drug detection dogs in public places and licensed venues.
Police say more than 100 ecstasy tablets, methamphetamine, cannabis and a quantity of cash were seized during the "Walk the Line" operation.
Of the 37 people found not to be in possession of illegal substances, some admitted to having previously had drugs on their person or being in environments where drugs were being consumed around them, police said.
Police Superintendent Tonya Carew hailed the operation a success.
But Mr O'Gorman said it was ineffective and a waste of police resources.
"If there is that high a percentage of false indications given by the dogs, clearly the dogs are nowhere near as well trained as the police say they are," Mr O'Gorman said.
"Some drugs were found, but it shouldn't be at the price of a significant number of people having to be publicly and humiliatingly searched when there was clearly nothing on them."
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie congratulated police on the operation.
"We need to get drugs out of our nightclubs, and we've made it really clear, we'll tackle all the serious drugs because it will destroy the lives of a lot of young people," Mr Beattie said.