"Bad" cops cue drug sniffing dogs

[renegades]

A swimmer actually discovered a vacant lot where some dog-cops were meeting and saw them signal training the dogs to "GO OFF" on cue with very slight hand motions. Then swim saw them walk dogs around a COP car they used (this shows it will work in any situation) and when the cop made this little twitch with one finger extended, the dog would bight at the door handle and tires and stand on its back legs and bark at the windows etc...
Dogs are used for human lies. Police cannot search a car without probable cause or consent, and an easy way to claim probable cause is to claim that a dog alerted. It doesn't matter whether a dog is accurate. The dog is just present as cover-up to testify in court. Dogs are perfect pets for perjury. If contraband is found then the arrest will probably stand. If nothing is found, the driver leaves shaken, but swims know of no case where the driver even complained or sued.
Drug dogs turn simple traffic stops into fishing expeditions for drug busts. Drivers are asked for consent to search without any suspicion at all. When drivers refuse consent, an officer threatens to bring a dog in order to intimidate drivers into consenting to avoid a wait. Persistent refusal prompts cops to radio for a dog, and then claim that the dog alerted.

Drugs dogs often bark up the wrong tree. Motions to suppress should argue that the dog's training and history show false positives and problems that make the dog unreliable for searches. In Cabelles, Justices Souter and Ginsburg dissented, pointing to studies showing that drug dogs frequently return false positives (12.5-60% of the time, according to one study).
Dogs approximate humans in that they go along with the system to avoid disapproval from peers (teachers, school students, friends, etc., in the case of humans). Drug dogs do not want disapproval from their police handlers. Dogs play the game, and will try to guess and read cues, because they are searching for approval, not for drugs.
Any case that lacks a videotape of a dog's actions on the scene should result in rejection of testimony that the dog alerted, or did so without cueing.
There is a disturbing trend among some law enforcement agencies to routinely try to search with no cause, by inducing people to "give permission." If the police are refused permission to search, then some police slowly write a traffic ticket, as they radio and await the arrival of a drug dog. The dog is the excuse police use in order to obtain "probable cause" to overcome the car-owner's refusal of a search. The police know that the case law says that without additional evidence, the police cannot detain someone any longer than it takes to write the traffic ticket (15minutes). The police have no basis to detain any longer than that for a traffic infraction. Of course, the police are always still slowly writing the ticket when the dog arrives.
Drug dogs are on the same mental level as dogs that sniff and urinate on every bush and pole repeatedly, that go berserk around a female dogs, and that chase fake rabbits around Derby Lane.

The many problems in training drug dogs suggest a very good reason why many dog handlers do not keep scientifically coherent documentation or videotapes of their dog’s track record in the field -because it would not be helpful at all.
Law enforcement invokes the dismal “war on drugs” to justify this behavior. The antidisestablishmentarianism in the war on drugs continues to descend to such shocking behavior in the land of the free and the home of the brave, At this time, and under these circumstances, it is important to note the officers’ state of mind as soon as they decide to pull someone over: The officers have already decided that they are going to perform a “search” with or without a drug dog. As soon as the lead officer demands any comrade’s papers, he asks for consent to search, and the question can come in the same breath. The request for the driver’s license and the search are the same routine now. That state of mind is important regarding the government’s excuse that drivers are detained for a drug dog “only so long as a it takes an officer to write a traffic ticket.” Under modern prohibition, the ticket is exiguous and tangential. Every traffic stop is actually and more importantly a “war on drugs” and a potential drug bust. The “War on Drugs” is more accurately dubbed the War on the Bill of Rights and upon all drivers. The traffic ticket is a potemkin ticket. Writing a ticket is simply sleight of hand to distract or humor judges.

[darawk]

AFAIK, drug dogs are considered an unreasonable search & seizure. They are supposed to be trained to only alert when put in an "alert mode" by a command from their officer. If they are not trained that way, or they are left in that state without cause, I don't think its considered a legal search.

[Nagognog2]

And if they're good little pooches they get a doggie-treat: A life-sized chew-toy shaped like Rodney King.

[Riconoen {UGC}]

Ever watch an episode of cops? man those can dogs really maul people up good.

[zera]

Police dogs are a complete waste of money because any large-scale trafficer will simply buy his own better trained dogs and make sure that his package is sealed up well enough that his own high-priced, high-trained dogs can't smell it. If the best canine noses that coke money can buy can't smell a package, then Officer Scooby-Doo doesn't stand a chance.

[rxbandit]

swims automobile got searched due to an alert by a police dog, swim was about 50 feet from his vehicle watching the sunset on "private property" at the beach. They sicked the dog on swims friend for failure to drop his jacket quick enough. swim refused the search but the officers proceeded regardless on the grounds of the dog alert. Needless to say the charges were dropped with the help of swims laywer but the fact the police found it neccesary to send out 9 officers and a dog for 3 individuals on the beach is quite ridiculous in swims opinion.

[renegades]

Remember that if a drug dog only gives a positive signal to the trunk of the car, the police can only search the trunk not the inside of the car or glove comparment box. If the dog gives a only positive signal indicating drugs are inside the car, the cops can't search the trunk. That is unless you give your consent.

[Police Officer]

Originally Posted by renegades

Remember that if a drug dog only gives a positive signal to the trunk of the car, the police can only search the trunk not the inside of the car or glove comparment box. If the dog gives a only positive signal indicating drugs are inside the car, the cops can't search the trunk. That is unless you give your consent.

As a dog hander for over 10 years I find this thread ridiculous. In the military there are guys who know just as much about the law as everyone else who fits in the category “The general public.” They give bad advice for free, and are nicknamed “Barracks lawyers.” The absolute worst thing that you can do is take advice from a barracks lawyer.

Police dogs respond where the scent is most concentrated. When they do that the vehicle belongs to us. Not just the glove box, or the trunk, but the vehicle. When a dog responds to the outside seam of a door do you think that the scope of the search is limited to the door seam?

As to the post that started this thread…

Most police dogs are not at 100%. Just like people they do not operate at 100%. Dogs have bad days, loose focus, get headaches, are crabby, etc., just like everyone else. They have personalities. What do you do when a dog misses a training drug plant? Just like when people make mistakes we bring them back and show them the error of their ways. The general public understands this, as does the U.S. Supreme Court. Basic reliability falls somewhere around 85-90%. Again, the U.S. Supreme Court agrees.

I am absolutely positive that someone seen something and had no idea of what they were seeing. And this lay person, having no idea what they were talking about, and armed with the power of the internet, posted something somewhere that people grabbed onto because it helps them attempt to legally do what they want to do when they’re not lawfully allowed to do it.

The initial post is completely full of urban myths, misconceptions, bent and folded facts, and total untruths. I could spend all day debunking each and ever sentence. If you want the short and skinny on police dog law then I would suggest that you go to google and type in something like “police dog law,” or “police dog search.” That site with the “cornell” in it usually is a good resource. Police dog searches are here to stay because they are reliable.

An alternate suggestion is to never ride dirty, because if you do we will eventually gitcha. Remember, you can get away with something for most of the time, and for a long time, but never all of the time.

[Bikelbees]

When renegades says "The antidisestablishmentarianism in the war on drugs" I guess he is saying that it is the church who claim the moral highground as wishing to see thier monolpoly on divinity fighting the WOD corner, and that no progress can be made with this coalition in power?

[Nagognog2]

The police in a Nazi-run town used a pry-bar to open my friend's trunk. Then they said in court my friend asked them to take an "inventory." It was thrown out of court - to the tune of several thousand dollars in legal expenses. They claimed they found 120 MICROGRAMS of "marijuana residue."

[greenthumm419]

PO said, "

Police dogs respond where the scent is most concentrated. When they do that the vehicle belongs to us."

No, the vehicle belongs to the owner until a judge decides it is forfeitted property. The law may allow you to search someone's property, but you have no ownership, only boundary issues.

Your defensive nature to this post leads one to believe there is more to the cues given to dogs than you would have us believe. Just like it may be hard to believe narcotic officers would be dishonest with judges to secure warrants, property confiscated, planting drugs after shooting innocent citizens etc... but police corruption DOES happen every day.

[Police Officer]

Originally Posted by greenthumm419

PO said, "

No, the vehicle belongs to the owner until a judge decides it is forfeitted property. The law may allow you to search someone's property, but you have no ownership, only boundary issues.

Thats actually what I meant.

[Nagognog2]

I'll never forget when the cops stopped Bongo & Co. and pried open the locked trunk of the car and pried open Bongo's locked briefcase. They tried to claim in court that they were asked to pry these objects open by Bongo & Co. themselves. The judge certainly didn't believe that for one second!

They had claimed they found 120 MICROgrams of "marijuana residue." Uh huh...

[fnord]

its all fun and games till they look in the trunk...

[dwilkes7]

I was wondering if Police Officer could answer a question I have been trying to find an answer to.

If the "drugs" were wrapped in coffee grounds, Does that actually work or are the dogs "hip to that"?

[Police Officer]

Originally Posted by dwilkes7

If the "drugs" were wrapped in coffee grounds, Does that actually work or are the dogs "hip to that"?

Nope, its a myth. I've actually tried this, and it dosent work. Remember, dogs smell things differently than we do. We smell a hamburger. They smell the meat, spices (individually), bread, onions, etc.

Where we only smell the stronger overpowering coffee, they smell the coffee, the metal, plastic lid, and the drugs.

[dwilkes7]

Thought so! Thanks for answering, I win the bet.

[Salocin]

SWIM has also heard that dogs may not smell through vaccuum sealed containers filled with marijuana (im not talking about 25 pounds of it, I'm sayin a QP or HP of some high quality, NON-skunk, exotic) any truth to this?

SWIM thinks it may or may not get through the postal system just fine without being noticed if it is sent in as an ounce at a time...

[Felonious Skunk]

Originally Posted by Police Officer

...dogs smell things differently than we do. We smell a hamburger. They smell the meat, spices (individually), bread, onions, etc.

Where we only smell the stronger overpowering coffee, they smell the coffee, the metal, plastic lid, and the drugs.

Really? And how do you know this? Did a dog tell you?

Unfortunately, there has never been an organized challenge to probable cause as established by sniffer dogs. There are a lot of misconceptions about their use, and the sooner defendants and their counsel get up to speed on this issue, the sooner we can do away with this disgusting SnooperVision version of America that has been created behind our backs.

For now, I recommend throwing a big sack of Milk Bones in the trunk and letting the lawyer take it from there.

Once reasonable doubt has been established and probable cause is in question, let the state put Fido on the stand to assure the jury that yes, of course he alerted to the drugs, and not the Milk Bones, because he doesn't really like Milk Bones anyway, and besides, he would have alerted even if there weren't drugs in the car because all he wanted was the rag doll toy master gives him when he's a good dog and sniffs out the bad guys...

Reputation Comments on this post:

You dont know what you're talking about, and theres no reason to be a smart alec.

[dwilkes7]

I suggest if anyone doubt the dogs ability to single out even the slightest odor they are trained to detect, see this article.

http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/fune...alanche05.html

[Police Officer]

Originally Posted by Felonious Skunk

Really? And how do you know this? Did a dog tell you?

Uh, no. It’s actually a medical fact. Here’s a link to help you understand the very basics.

Originally Posted by Felonious Skunk

Unfortunately, there has never been an organized challenge to probable cause as established by sniffer dogs.

Uh, actually there has. If you would like to know more, you can click here, and here, or even here.

[fnord]

lets try and stay on topic guys.

[AntiAimer]

Just doing what there trained to do, thought everyone knew they cue dogs?

Never heard of false postives? This way when they didn't have a reason in the first place, they do now. Untill nothing shows up and they just look stupid, making your car all dirty or even messed up. They still get the last laugh.

Reputation Comments on this post:

dosen't sound like you know what youre talking about

[darawk]

Most of you seem to be very misinformed about how drug dogs detect things...Vaccuum seals really won't help you much, and neither will masking the smell with coffee grounds. Dogs detect EXTREMELY tiny amounts of residue on the outside of packages, like say, from you wrapping the package after handling the weed you put into it.

So the best way to go about packaging your substances is to wash your hands with every step, and wrap in several layers, making sure that not even the minutest of minute residues could get onto that outer layer.

On top of that, adding some ammonia to the package will temporarily blunt a dog's sense of smell. However - ammonia might be itself alerted to as an explosive, so, it's all a tricky balancing act.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Good advice

[Salocin]

With this being said, "Dogs detect EXTREMELY tiny amounts of residue on the outside of packages", if you ever use drugs in your car, have drugs in your car, ect. Even if you do not have them at the time, they will still alert to that. True? So the fact or fiction of dogs being "cued" to alert is irrelevant. The only way to really stick it to them is to drive cautiously and not get pulled over in the first place... if all else fails get a police detector or ride 'clean'.