Wil wrote:Hi all, full disclosure - I'm from Unharm. I'm curious about why you would support this program. It's never caught a major drug dealer and it hasn't had any substantial deterrent effect on drug use. Most searches don't find drugs. When they do, it's usually a small quantity of cannabis. Every dog and handler has a minimum of eight police accompanying them so it's expensive to run. You want to keep spending your tax dollars on this?
Hi Wil,
I'm not a avid supporter as such, but I disagree with the assertions of the petition and of some of your response.
As I highlighted, the point that particular earned my ire was that the dogs "increase the risk of drug overdose". As Antie said, this is a ridiculous assertion.
To have overdosed the person first needed to have obtained drugs they knew to be illegal.
If an over dose is possible then they have obtained and be carrying a quantity greater than required for personal use.
They then take their stash to avoid the ramifications of breaking the law.
These things were done, know and foreseeable before the dog was on site. They have no one to blame but themselves and to point the finger at the dogs is ridiculous.
"They generate antagonism and distrust between members of the public and police."
If I'm in an airport, train, wherever and an officer approaches with a dog wanting to sniff my bag they're more than welcome too. I know they will find nothing and the search will be concluded in 10 seconds. There is no reason to be antagonist or distrustful unless you have something to hide.
You say "Most searches don't find drugs. When they do, it's usually a small quantity of cannabis."
Quantity is not the issue. By that logic a small amount of stealing is ok. A small amount of wreckless driving. A little bit of verbal abuse.
I don't know what you're familiarity with firearms is but we're legally required to store them securely (which makes sense of course). I'm sure you wouldn't argue that if I had 10 firearms I should only have to secure most of them, that it's ok to have a 'small quantity' unsecured. Of course you wouldn't.
If I can ask a personal question of you - feel free not to answer but have a think about it - what's your opinion on recreational drugs? Is the core of your support for this because you believe a range of currently illegal recreational drugs should be legally available to you? Or are you completely against drugs and against the sniffer dogs solely and 100% for the reasons of privacy only. I have to say I don't think anyone will be able to convince me they're of the later.
If people, yourself included if applicable, believe marijuana or any other drug should be either decriminalised or legalised they're welcome to their opinion and there is no harm in having a discussion about it. I'm not a recreational drug user but personally I don't believe simply criminalising everything is a solution to these things, I think the countries that treat drug use as a public health issue and not a crime are doing it better. If people have reasonable assertions and evidence to support such changes on the topic they should voice them and good luck to them in their cause. My post is nothing against Unharm, if that's the groups goal then good luck to them.
That's not what this petition is though. In this particular petition the arguments made don't hold water as explained above and read like people not wanting to get caught, not concerned citizens fighting for privacy.