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criticised for violating government and police Additionally, the suggest. While only
civil liberties, unfairly not only continued but searches themselves can 26% percent of searches
targeting young people, escalated sniffer dog be highly invasive, with actually discovered
xii
and unfairly targeting operations. female festival attendees drugs, 80% of those
drug users rather than being made to squat searched did admit prior
xx
dealers. vii There are a number naked over a mirror as a contact with drugs.
of ways that sniffer dogs result of a positive sniffer
xvii
Nearly 5 years later, can increase harm to dog indication. It is important to take
in 2006, the NSW drug users. These can The use of degrading and these admissions in
Ombudsman released include moving people intrusive strip searches context, though, and
his report into the from relatively benign of young women, on the note that an “admission
effectiveness of the but easily detectable basis of an indication of prior contact with
sniffer dog program, drugs like cannabis, from a dog that is drugs” can include
and his conclusions to undetectable but accurate only a quarter someone saying that
were not glowing. The potentially riskier drugs of the time, raises serious they take drugs, or took
xiii
Ombudsman reviewed like GHB. It can questions about the drugs in the past, or were
the drug detection dog also create the risk of social costs of the sniffer around people who did
unit for two years, and a person choosing to dog program. And that or may have been taking
xxi
over 10,000 searches, and take all of their drugs at is before we even get drugs. Around 40% of
found the following: once, in order to avoid into the economic costs. people who admitted to
detection, rather than taking drugs themselves
spacing out their drug It has recently come to were referring to the
•Only 26% of positive
use across an entire light that, in the years day before the search or
detections actually day or number of days 2010 to 2016, the NSWs earlier. xxii In any case,
resulted in drugs being at some events and government, which still given that the original
found. viii
festivals. This exact maintains the largest purpose of the drug
xiv
•Of that 26%,
situation has resulted in drug dog operation in detection dog units was
84% of positive
at least two Australian Australia, has spent to combat drug supply,
identifications were deaths already. Gemma around $10 million per searching individuals
for small amounts of Thoms, at the Perth year on drug detection because they admit to
cannabis. ix
Big Day Out in 2009, dog units. xviii The past and indirect contact
•Out of more than
and James Munro, at government has shifted with drugs could be seen
10,000 searches, only 19
the Defqon.1 event in away from the original to be overreaching.
convictions for drug Sydney in 2013, both arguments used to justify
supply were recorded, died after consuming the program, and now With an increasing
none of which their entire supply of prefers to argue that drug body of evidence raising
resulted in a jail term. x
drugs, having seen sniffer detection dogs provide questions about the
On the back of these dogs and panicking. xv a “visual deterrence” and fairness, accuracy and
uninspiring results, a “visual response to xix cost-effectiveness of
which seemed unlikely And the harm is not drug-related crime.” sniffer dog programs,
to “smash the back” just limited to patterns The question of whether there are growing calls
of any drug lords, of drug use. Concerns it’s worth more than ten for them to be scrapped.
the Ombudsman have been raised that million dollars every Jenny Leong, Greens
recommended that the sniffer dogs may prevent year, just to “visually member for Newtown,
program be scrapped, people from accessing deter” people, is one that has reintroduced an
and went on to say that harm reduction services. does not seem to have amendment bill that
the use of sniffer dogs Specifically, that using been given a great deal of seeks to remove the
in public spaces might sniffer dogs in the consideration. police power to search
actually encourage and vicinity of a Medically venues and public
increase harm. This Supervised Injection In their own defense, transport without a
xi
xxiii
recommendation was Centre might scare off the police have argued warrant. The N.S.W
not taken on board by people who wish to that their dogs are far Greens also launched the
the New South Wales access that service. xvi more reliable than the “Sniff Off” program in
above statistics may October 2014 that has
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