Sniffer dogs seminars

Be prepared this party season and know your rights when it comes to sniffer dogs.
The Inner City Legal Centre is holding a series of workshops to familiarise people with their rights and responsibilities.
“We will cover the circumstances people might find themselves in at Mardi Gras, or at the dance party. We’ll cover issues of: when can police search me? What can they or can’t they do? And what can you do to complain?” a spokeswoman for ICLC said.
“I suspect people aren’t very informed, and the sad thing is that there aren’t a lot of safeguards. It’s always important to know what your rights are. If you don’t, you won’t know if they’re being infringed, and you won’t know if it’s a viable thing to complain.”
Making sure that some of the younger members of the community — some of whom will be attending their first parties — are fully aware is of particular importance. One of the seminars is being hosted by Twenty10, specifically for young people aged 12-26.
“We work to empower young people with information, so they can make informed choices — not only about their choices around party season, but around their whole life,” Twenty10 drop-in worker Rebecca Howe told Sydney Star Observer.
“It’s really crucial that young people know what to expect, and know what their rights are, so they have a clear understanding of what it should be and what it looks like when some of those things aren’t happening.
“Being empowered with that information means they can make their own decisions, and make those decisions knowing what the consequences are.”

info: The Twenty10 workshop will be held on February 11 at 4pm at 45 Bedford St, Newtown. General seminars will be held on February 24 and March 16 at the Kings Cross Community Centre. Dates for a session at the Gender Centre are yet to be confirmed.