Pubdate: Mon, 06 Sep 1999 Source: Daily Telegraph (Australia) Copyright: News Limited 1999 Contact: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ DRUG DOG FOR RAIL STATIONS Rockdale Council voted late last month to acquire and train a resident drug detec tion dog to work with police to "reduce the sale and use of illicit drugs" in its southern Sydney area. The council also voted to hire people to take secret video camera footage of illegal drag-racing cars. The move by Rockdale Council is part of a growing trend by local authorities to control law and order issues. Some Sydney councils have erected no loitering signs and security cameras while Hurstville Council has given two of its rangers police-style uniforms and their own patrol car to keep an eye on crime. On August 25, the council supported a minute by mayor Kent Johns to acquire a drug detection beagle dog, similar to those found in airports. Mr Johns held discussions with Georges River police commander Ike Ellis over the weekend about the plan. Initially, the council was looking at training one of its rangers to be the dog handler but police now appear keen to handle the dog with funding assistance from the council. Mr Johns said the dog would be able to stop people entering the southern Sydney area through its railway stations after buying hard drugs at Kings Cross and Cabramatta. He added that it would also be helpful to patrol places where drug syringes were regularly found, at Brighton and Arncliffe. He said a memorandum of understanding would be signed between the police and council, to ensure the animal spent a large proportion of its time patrolling the Rockdale area. "The dog doesn't start barking its head off after smelling drugs, it simply sits down next to the person," he said. But the NSW Council for Civil Liberties is concerned about the concept of drug detection dogs being posted at railway station gates. "The amount of surveillance and intrusion people are under is starting to really get over the top," president Kevin O'Rourke said. "With dogs running around watching people, you would think the area had turned into a police state,if people were targeted because of the way they looked or dressed. "For instance, would they be introducing these dogs at Lindfield on the north shore?" In the mayoral minute, Mr Johns said: "The scourge of society the world over is the increasing sale and use of illicit drugs. Working with the police, we can develop successful strategies that could virtually eliminate the entry of drugs into the city." "I would have concerns that the dogs could be used in a discriminatory way While the cost of training the dog is unknown, the dog itself may only cost $500, plus $20 a week for upkeep. - --- MAP posted-by: manemez j lovitto