Sniffer dogs now legal in Queensland

[Torsten]

http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/comm...55E1702,00.html

Drug dogs get boots, more jobs

26sep05

DRUG detection sniffer dogs will be allowed into nightclubs and major events under new Queensland laws to be introduced by Christmas.

Authorities, concerned for the welfare of the animals, will also pay for boots to protect the dogs' paws as they walk on treacherous nightclub floors.

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie today said the new laws would be introduced into Queensland parliament this week for debate, and should be in place in time for the Christmas-New Year party season.

Three labradors will be trained to sniff out cocaine and designer drugs such as methylamphetamines, ecstasy, angel dust and GBH.

Police will be able to take the dogs inside nightclubs, pubs, concerts, major sports events such as Test matches and grand finals and public places such as bus and train stations under the new laws.

"The reality is there's too many amphetamines around, there's too much cocaine and the Government has got serious about it," Mr Beattie said.

Police would use the powers "judiciously", targeting areas most likely to be hotbeds for drug dealing and use, he said.

Two dogs will work in south-east Queensland and the other in the state's north.

Police Minister Judy Spence said police already used drug detection dogs for general drug detection in public places.

However, she said the new legislation would improve the powers to remove any doubt that police can search without a warrant, provided the dog has given rise to reasonable suspicion.

"A drug detection dog is trained to be passive and will identify someone carrying drugs by sitting beside the person, leaning against them or wagging a tail," she said.

Ms Spence said police would be able to lock down a venue if necessary and attend private parties if a complaint was made.

She said the dogs would be protected from dangers such as broken glass on nightclub floors.

"The welfare and safety of the dogs has been given careful consideration, and the dogs will wear protective boots when required to protect the pads of their feet," she said.

[2b]

Don't take your Talc out with you in Qld anymore.They trained the Vic dogs to sniff it out.... :D

[blog]

It's interesting that they don't train the dogs to sniff out marijuana. Probably a deliberate concession because of the huge social acceptability of that drug, and repercussions resulting from law abiding constituents being treated like heroin addicts.

Edit: Oh I noticed they aren't trained to detect opiates either. Maybe they really are just cracking down on the clubbing culture of drug taking.

[ 29. September 2005, 04:26: Message edited by: blog ]

[AndyAmine.]

I think they wouldnt be trained to search out opiates because of the large number of people carrying legal prescription opiates, they would be going nuts.

Porbabaly the same wiht pot, the dogs would be running around in cirlces.. he, he, he.. a bit like one at mardigrass I saw once.

2B, that was classic wasnt it, what a clever way to slow down the narcs, get the dogs looking for the wrong thing.. LOL

[jasemateau]

too much coke around?

[AndyAmine.]

yeah, I was going to say that too Jase, LOL, only if ehy...

[ergoamide]

I know too much coke jees, where is it all then. Probably in thier (police) pockets.

[Green Chemist]

There was a report a few months back in the Sunday Mail regarding the use of Meth and the raise of aggressive behaviour towards the arresting officers as a result of people taking such drugs when out on the town. So that might also explain the police targetting this particular drug.

[Rev]

i know this isnt going to a be a popular question but...

are there any chems that are straight out lethal or at least highly deterrant to dogs but not to humans

Im so jack of the whole sniffer dog issue

if a few dogs went nuts and ran away or one dropped dead they would stop using them indiscrimnately

its a harsh idea but seriously - for all they say about dogs being trained to be this way or that - a dog is a fkng weapon

its got sharp teeth and can inflict serious injury on you or probe you where no person would and the cops either get impunity - for crotch sniffing or the dog (might) get put down if it bites you and they get another dog and go out again..

[AndyAmine.]

I belive Cayenne pepper is often used to deter sniffer dogs but it permanently destroys their sense of smell.

Ive heard of people pouring it around the borders of their houses/shed's and people carrying little baggies of it around at party's incase they need it.

Apparently you can get in some serious trouble over it and it REALLY pisses the cops off.

[faustus]

 

quote:

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Three labradors will be trained to sniff out cocaine and designer drugs such as methylamphetamines, ecstasy, angel dust and GBH.

correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't GHB a metabolite present in every cell in the body?

 

quote:

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for all they say about dogs being trained to be this way or that - a dog is a fkng weapon its got sharp teeth and can inflict serious injury on you or probe you where no person would and the cops either get impunity - for crotch sniffing or the dog (might) get put down if it bites you and they get another dog and go out again..

killing dogs? dude, this is a pretty extreme view! why would sniffer dogs be more dangerous than any random dog on the street? i'd be more inclined to say that they're less so, as aggressive behaviour wouldn't be reinforced by the trainers. also, from what i gather, as soon as the sniffer dog makes contact with you, evidence is no longer admissible. maybe someone better read in the law can confirm this.

i reckon they'd look pretty smart wearing boots!

[Torsten]

I doubt the cayenne pepper story. Cayenne is just a chili and I have seen dogs eat VERY hot chilis without hesitating. When I used to love hot food my friend and I used to make chili prawns so hot we could only eat one every 15 minutes or so (they were beer snacks ). One day we left the room for a moment and the dogs ate the whole fucking dish in mere seconds. Sauce and all.

I think the dry chili simply irritates their nasal membranes a little which distracts them. But I doubt it would work for long.

[Salviador]

Its our brains and is an amino acid... Prolly too small an amount and under too much skin to be detectable.

I wonder what sort of generalisation these dogs have, ie would they also sniff 14b or ritalin etc

[Torsten]

dogs are usually trained to seized drugs which means they may well not be trained to the drug, but rather to a manufacturing contaminant. In cannabis for example they are trained to the very pungent but entirely legal essential oil. In MDMA they may well be trained to safrole residues. With GHB they might be trained to seized samples of the drug which would most likely be 14b. But even if it isn't then they may be trained for the gammabutyrolactone instead of the GHB salt, which would eliminate biogenic GHB.

What I find a bit weird about the arrticle is the mention of angel's dust. I don't think PCP has been around AT ALL the last decade or two, so I don't see why they would train dogs for it. So either the list of drugs was an arbitrary list the journo pulled off an american drug website, or the puppies might actually already be trained for ketamine (which is a PCP relative). If it is the former, then the list cannot be relied on for any inclusion or exclusion.

Ah yeah, then there is that classic media hysteria spelling of GHB

[ 29. September 2005, 15:09: Message edited by: Torsten ]

[naja naja]

Also, I think you will find that police dogs are actually considered, POLICE OFFICERS! So you would be charged the same as if you killed a human cop. This is also why they can recieve medals for their bravery and such.

This may not apply in Australia, but I think it does

[Amulte]

i saw this thing or mardi grass, they were talkin to this dude with a dog and he said "to avoid the sniffer dog we hide our stuss up my dogs ass, that way when the sniffer dogs sniff the ass of the dog mule we go 'he get out of it!'"

EDIT - i last saw PCP about 10 years ago

[ 02. October 2005, 08:29: Message edited by: Amulte ]

[AndyAmine.]

 

quote:

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Ah yeah, then there is that classic media hysteria spelling of GHB

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I rememeber all that, "Watch out, a new drug named Gross Bodily Harm has hit the streets" LOL

[ 02. October 2005, 14:34: Message edited by: AndyAmine. ]

[peyote pete]

I have seen sniffer dogs meeting the northern country trains at central station in Sydney. Hoping to catch some poor grower transporting his merchandise. I often wondered if when they ask you to open your bag what would the proceedure be if you refused said sorry I'm late for my train. and tried to walk away. Are you breaking the law just walking down a platform? what suspicious behaviour allows them to search your bag or is the dogs nose in your purse enough for them to detain you?.

[ 02. October 2005, 19:10: Message edited by: peyote pete ]

[Amulte]

 

quote:

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I rememeber all that, "Watch out, a new drug named Gross Bodily Harm has hit the streets" LOL

 

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Greevious Boldily Harm

[nabraxas]

what suspicious behaviour allows them to search your bag ---heh heh heh

it's an old customs/cop trick.

first off they ask you

"do you mind showing me the contents ov your bag, please Sir?"

if you refuse, then that refusal, all by itself, is sufficient cause for them to demand a search.

[ 02. October 2005, 23:17: Message edited by: nabraxas ]

[Legba]

say 'yeah. help urself. theyll tell u to do it. say 'im doin ya job 4 ya. i find this intrusive but if u wanna look...' they shouldnt look-u might have needles in their. ohs tells them not to look

[Legba]

Bacchant:

say 'yeah. help urself. theyll tell u to do it. say 'im doin ya job 4 ya. i find this intrusive but if u wanna look...' they shouldnt look-u might have needles in their. ohs tells them not to look

*dont try this if ur transporting a commercial quantity of uzi's

[Amulte]

 

quote:

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dont try this if ur transporting a commercial quantity of uzi's

 

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Oh shit, ya tell me that NOW!!

[AndyAmine.]

Ive said I was in a hurry and they couldnt search my car a few times before when cops have have pulled me over for random breath tests.

I was allowed to go 2 times after some attempts to trick me into saying something both times and pressured into a search the 2nd time and let it happen because I knew my mate had something dacked.

Personally I think everyone should excersise their right to refuse a search whenever they can so that its no such an uncommon thing and I think it would help cut down on harrasment over the issue in general.

obviously not such a great idea if you have something dodgy in your car.. LOL

[Benzedrine]

If the dogs aren't trained for marijuana it would because of the extensive use of bong water to create false scents. Thats happened in american areas when dogs were brought in.

The cayenne pepper thing is also a terrible idea since you can just add a guaranteed charge of animal cruelty to your record. The use of high frequency sonic dog repellers is generally the preferred method, since its merely uncomfortable for them and gives you time to destroy your stash or whatever.