Hi all,
This isn't a training question but rather an observation. Yesterday I attended a music concert, basically a hippy festival. It was threatening to rain so my friend and I headed back to the car for shelter. When we were walking back I saw an officer with a dog who was waiting for traffic to stop and then weaving the dog in and around cars. My first thought was that it was a training exercise. But in fact it was the real deal. They were pulling cars over and busting people. This concert is 3 days long. Most of the people stay overnite camping. I would have to say there was about 10-15 thousand people there. I went a couple of years ago and all remained peaceful. As with this time, all ramained peaceful. One thing that amazed me was all the drugs that seemed so apparent to the cops and nothing was done. People smoking pot in the open and selling pipes and stuff. All of a sudden "they ambushed" the people with the dogs. The police ignored the goings on for 2 days then all of a sudden they brought in the dogs. I myself don't condone using drugs but in the past these people felt secure. I guess just like the Greatful Dead days. The police know what goes on at these concerts and seem to ignore it most of the time. My opinion is either you let it happen or you don't. It seemed a little unfair to me. It was still cool to see the dog work however!!
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Wendi

Let me start by saying that I am not a Police officer but I suppose it would be rather difficult to just "stop" 10-15 thousand people with so many of them using drugs from doing so just like that. The police need too use SOME kind of strategy. It's one thing to be "secure" but how many of these idiots will get into their cars and drive home after getting loaded? Good for the police. I'm not sure where this thread will head from a training standpoint. I will see if any other worthwile comments are made but if it turns into a police bashfest I will close it.

I'm not bashing the police at all. I think they should bust some of these idiots who get "out of their minds". All I was saying is they should either let it happen or stop it from the beginning. Start by checking people as they enter to set an example that drugs will not be tolerated....period. They know just by the type of crowd what is happening.

Wendi,

I don't think YOU were "bashing" anyone. What I mean is it is fashionable nowadays for these types of discussions to turn into police bashing.

You say you think it should be stopped as it is happening. Well, in a perfect world that would be great. But can we give our highly trained police officers a little more credit? Think about it. In this situation, aren't they just slightly out numbered? If they jumped into a crowd to snag ever pot smoking acid taking punk they saw wouldn't they risk starting a riot of some kind? Remember, we are talking about 15,000 people. Fine, check people before they come in. That still won't stop people from getting drugs in, and how long would that take? There are too many ways. Are they to strip search every kid before letting them in? Busting people before they get in their cars is probably the most realistic way to stop some of this. I am not accusing you of bashing anyone. But just think about the feasibility of stopping all those people from doing drugs...it just ain't gonna happen.

That is a very good point. I guess I never thought of a riot happening. I was just suggesting that the police set an example from the beginning that if you're cought you will be arrested. There were cops patrolling the whole weekend inside the show and people were smoking right in front of them. I guess it gave the people a false sense of security. We were sitting there and there were security people behind us and the people in front of us were smoking and the smoke was blowing right at the security. I found that amazing. My friend is older so he went to some Dead shows. I never went to one so I don't know what went on at them. He said that the drugs were commonplace and the cops never busted people unless things got out of hand. When I saw the dog working I of course wanted watch (good thing I was clean!!) Let me ask you a question.. the dog was working stopped traffic and just circling the outside of cars how much drugs (quanity) is necessary for the dog to hit. In my mind a large quanity would have to be inside the car for the dog to hit from hte outside? Or am I way off?

Police narcotics dogs are not something that I am qualified to answer questions on. Maybe someone involved in this can answer your question.

I don't see how this thread has anything to do with Narcotics TRAINING. Sounds more like a question about police policy. A good one to take up with your local government or police agency.

Guess what. . . .???