News: SMH 1/11/01 - Sniffer dogs ruled illegal in NSW court

[DoC]

http://www.smh.com.au/breaking/2001/11/01/FFXAUG6VHTC.html

Sniffer dogs would continue to be used by NSW police as a crime fighting tool against drugs, Premier Bob Carr said today.
But concerns among civil libertarians that they infringed on people's rights would be examined, he said.
The comments followed yesterday's ruling by a magistrate that the use of sniffer dogs to detect people carrying drugs in public places was unlawful.
The ruling by Deputy Chief Magistrate Mary Jerram means people caught carrying drugs in the past year by sniffer dogs may have their cases deferred pending an appeal to the Supreme Court by the Police Service.
Mr Carr said he would discuss the issue with NSW Police Commissioner Peter Ryan and civil libertarians.
"I don't want to see NSW become a police state, but I don't see how you can take this very useful tool away from the police," Mr Carr told reporters.
"I'd be as concerned as anyone if they were being used to infringe people's civil liberties but I don't see how sniffer dogs override the civil liberties of anyone."
Mr Carr said sniffer dogs had been extremely effective, especially in keeping drugs out of prisons

[This message has been edited by DoC (edited 01 November 2001).]

 

[nads]

Yeah, I just heard it on the radio. If they don't want it to become a police-state, then how do they expect pulling random searches on people in the street using sniffer dogs will fly. Nice try.
Who said anything about abolishing sniffer dogs in entirety, Mr. Carr?
I think a dog sniffing for drugs IS infringement. It's exactly like being randomly searched by a cop.
Also, if the majority of notes have been rolled up and snorted with, wouldn't the dog go nuts over your wallet?
Bollocks to that idea! Dumb cops.