No Place for Dogs at Big Day Out

Commenting on reports that there would be a significant presence of police and sniffer dogs at the Big Day Out, Ms Hale said:

“The heavy presence of police and sniffer dogs only will only serve to alienate and intimidate concert goers.

“The bulk of people accosted by the dogs will be young people intent on enjoying themselves who will be needlessly harassed, frightened and humiliated.

“The Ombudsman’s 2006 Review of the Police Powers (Drug Detection Dogs) Act 2001 found no evidence that sniffer dogs disrupt low level drug dealing, have a deterrent effect on drug users or reduce drug related crime.”

(see the ombudsman’s report at http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/show.asp?id=431

“Not only will the dogs do nothing to detect the Mr Bigs of drug distribution, they will give false positive responses to far more non-users than users,” Ms Hale said.

“In answer to my questions about the legality of the use of sniffer dogs, the Attorney-General told the parliament that the Police Powers (Drug Detection Trial) Act 2003 had lapsed on 22 August 2008. That Act authorised police to establish checkpoints for vehicles in defined areas and to stop vehicles and screen them using drug detection dogs.

“Clearly, the lapsing of that Act is a tacit admission of how ineffective sniffer dogs are. The Police, however, now rely on a 2002 Act, Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act, which was enacted four years before the Ombudsman’s Review.

“The only possible explanation for the Government endorsing the continued use of sniffer dogs is to ramp up publicity for its law and order agenda. As is almost always the case, there is little connection between the Government’s hype and reality,” Ms Hale concluded.

Further information: Sylvia Hale (02) 9230 3030; 0417 466 095