Law ‘hampered by shortage of drugs sniffer dogs’

ENFORCEMENT of drug laws is being seriously hampered by a chronic shortage of drugs sniffer dogs and gardaí trained to handle them, the AGSI conference heard yesterday.

Last Saturday, a dog handler had to be flown from Shannon to Dublin to collect a drugs sniffer dog for a search, the conference was told. “To get a drugs dog at times is impossible and the current position is unacceptable,” said Jim Phelan of the Laois/Offaly branch.

His motion requesting the AGSI national executive to call on the Garda Commissioner to have drugs sniffer dogs and handlers trained and assigned to each garda division was passed.

The conference also passed a motion from the Dublin south central branch calling for a specialised unit to combat violence by organised criminals.

The division saw a 133% increase in homicides last year, from three in 2001 to seven in 2002. Tim Doyle of the branch said hardened criminals should no longer be allowed to refuse to answer questions or reply “nothing to say”.

He called for an increase in the number of hours, currently six or 12, that gardaí can detain suspects in a criminal investigation. Mr Doyle also called for extra powers to search for evidence.

Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne said the National Support Services already drew up strategy on combating organised crime.