Drugs: you do have rights?
The NSW Council for Civil Liberties president has called for police to get rid of drug sniffer dogs so that resources can be channelled into prosecuting violent crime.
Civil Liberties Council president Cameron Murphy has made the call on the eve of the 2010 Mardi Gras Festival — an event expected to draw attention following a police raid on Sleaze Ball last year.
“I’d like to see them stop the use of drug sniffing dogs. I’d rather see them spend the enormous resources involved in dealing with more serious categories of crime,” he said.
Murphy said most people weren’t aware how much money the sniffer dog program was costing taxpayers.
“Every dog costs upwards of half a million dollars in order to breed, train and house, and have a handler allocated to the dog,” he said.
“There are many unsolved murders, rapes and other serious offences out there that deserve those police resources which are being wasted on this exercise.
“Serious drug dealers simply don’t carry large quantities of drugs on them on the public transport system or to dance events, so it’s ludicrous to suggest you’re going to be able to capture the Mr Bigs of the drug business utilising this process.”
However, Murphy said more worrying was that sniffer dog operations were changing the way drug users took drugs, which could have implications for their health.
“The same number of people are continuing to use recreational drugs, but evidence suggests that they’re using them in a different way — they’re taking drugs before they arrive at venues and in some cases they’re taking larger quantities than they would usually take, or that is safe, in order to avoid detection,” he said.
“We’ve had overdoses because people consume all the drugs they have on them at once in order to avoid arrest and prosecution. It’s a massive health risk.”
Inner City Legal Centre principal solicitor Ros Mayne said even without sniffer dogs, police have a general power to stop, search and detain anyone without a warrant if they have a reasonable suspicion a person is carrying drugs or anything else dangerous or unlawful is in their possession.
Sniffer dogs may be used by police in and around areas where alcohol is being sold, at bus stops, train stations or on public transport, and at public events such as concerts, dance parties and parades.
Mayne said if a sniffer dog indicates you they may search you. If you move away from the dogs police may see this as reasonable grounds to suspect you of carrying prohibited items and use this as justification for a search.
In the case of searches that involve the removal of clothing police should conduct the search in private or where no one of the opposite sex can see you and the officer searching you should be of your gender — this applies only as far as it is reasonably practical.
For this kind of search, Mayne said police must believe there are reasonable grounds and that the seriousness and urgency of the circumstances require a strip search.
Police may ask you to open your mouth or move your hair, however, they need you to give your consent or obtain a court order before they can perform a search of any other body cavity.
Police must allow you to dress as soon as a search is over.
Pete said,
February 10th, 2010 @ 4:57 pm
I like your comment, it was a highly enjoyable read! ;)
chris said,
February 11th, 2010 @ 6:32 am
This is an extremely well educated opinion, thanks we need more thinkers like you in the world!!! :)
I am no drug user – but ALL drugs as usage should be decriminalised!!!!!!
However, drug trafficking should remain an offence.
Alcohol & Cigarettes raise much needed TAX Revenue,and a small amount of this Revenue is given back in the fight to get rid of the suicidal habit,T.V ads etc.
But hard drugs,hey forget it.Think its cool hey? Most of us are Uncles or Auntys,Seriously if your 17yr old niece or nephew asked about drugs or wanted to go out to the scene (Where pushers love a niave mind) What would you do?
Would you stand your ground to support your habit Or do a complete backflip to protect your family? thanks
If the authorities want to protect society by making certain drugs illegal they should ban alcohol and cigarettes.. not the ones that are currently illegal! Binge drinking is an epidemic in Australian society..it results in countless acts of violence , addiction and deaths. Cigarettes kill thousands of Australian every year.No one has ever died from smoking grass , almost no one from taking ecstacy.( compared to the numbers of pills consumed.
And dear Berny..have you not read all the correspondence,debating,arguments,inquiries into sniffer dogs.conclusion..they are a WASTE of money.Some police may think they look good with them,(and hey if you’ve got a dog fetish thing happening too good for you )but it would be nice if the money WASTED on these dogs was spent on investigating things like burglaries.IS THERE ANYONE that has had a burglary that the police have actually found the burlgars??Do let me know.In the meantime keep some SCHMACKOS handy,dogs love them.
OH look I just feel I need to repeat my comments again but with a lighter touch Its is Mardi Gras after all.
UM dare I say it but one of the highlights of the parade would be the return of the sniffer dogs…urghhh sorry they were already scheduled,oh and did appear last year too.Mmm oh and the year before.Boring but hey maybe they could have a special float paid for by NMG and us the taxpayers of course.It could be leather themed with the dogs sniffing the guys cracks and pretending they found drugs but hey all they found was a tin full of crisco and some pills hidden in the bottom which turned out to be HIV pills.Oh what a dissapointment.
Then again apparently in South Africa everyone tells me they are smoking their HIV drugs.A great high I believe.
Maybe the moral of the story is don’t go searching too far cos you never know what you may find…
Berny…if you were a gay man up until 1984 you were breaking the law if you had sex with another man…..sometimes the law is just plain wrong or out of step with community standards or views.
Its way easier to sniff out a bit of pot on peaceful non-drinkers with a dog than it is to deal with some of the desperate crims roaming the streets. Anyway, its not revenue raising either, more like cushy overtime for a few officers just going round doing their duty.
borgward
It seems simple enough to me. DO NOT TAKE DRUGS AND YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. You are breaking the law and our Police Force are only doing their jobs!!!
..And NMG CEO is asking what the pink triangle means WOW!!!Have you guys learnt nothing from last years Sleaze Ball fiasco??
Strongly agree with Cameron Murphy’s approach. The Liberal Democratic Party will push to get rid of “victimless crimes” and have the police concentrate on criminal activity where there is clearly a victim. The excessive pursuit of victimless crimes is simply a revenue-raising effort whch has got out of hand. Another approach is to call such “crimes” a “sin tax”. In NSW there are several hundred unsolved murder cases; police are too busy harassing drug users with their sniffer dogs to track down REAL criminals!
A well not even one agrees with this Pillock and thats ok.But when just remember when you’ve overdosed or throwing punches at an ambo trying to save your life,don’t count on your Dealer to help,he’s the last person who wants to be connected to you.
I hope my spellings better,thankyou
In a recent media interview the same Dr Fulde identified legally available alcohol as the drug which caused the most damage. And for the record, I hate self-righteous pillocks who have a problem with spelling.
Its that time again of the year when The Head of one of
Australia,s Largest Emergency Departments “Dr Gordian Fulde” dreads…Mardi Gra.
When self-afflicting Druggo’s overdose on GHB,Ice,Ecstacy etc at the Afterparty quickly Swamp the St.Vincents Darlinghurst Emergency Ward,My question is,Why bother with them,really?
Dr Fulde and his already overworked Army of Dedicated colleagues should turn their gaze to real important matters,like real patients,not half dead violent zombies who payed and drug themselves purposely.
And for the Police,I would strongly recommend that they Drug-Test each driver coming out of that Event,as that carpark is packed,and a large number of those drivers are High as kite Or Tanked-up or Even Both ready to drive home or into something.Sorry I hate Junkies.