vision2020
RE: How much is that doggie sniffing my car...
One other point we might want to consider when evaluating any law
enforcement method is the likelihood of "false positives" and the
consequences thereof. Here, for example, if a dog "targets" my
vehicle and it does not contain an illegal substance, will I then
become a "suspect" of the police and subject to increased scrutiny?
Obviously, I could be completely innocent--never had any drugs in the
car and the dog is picking up on something else for whatever
reason--or not so innocent--had drugs in there a few minutes earlier
but was out delivering them when the dog approached--or in between,
my wife, brother, child, neighbor (maybe all 4?) had drugs in the car
previously. Cars are not like underwear, for example. Just
because you find something illegal in them doesn't mean the occupant
put it there or even knew about it. While we might drive our
spouse's, sibling's, child's or neighbor's car, we aren't likely to
wear his/her/their underwear, unless we live in certain parts of
California or the underwear has a really cool pattern. . .
I'm wondering if the next step in law enforcement will be a trained
animals that detect illegal aliens. I can imagine the training
course.
Actually, I confess to realizing that I am being biased in my
thinking. I probably would go along with the sniffing activities if
it could be conducted by cats--you know, your average household
tabby. I can see it now. Three officers straining to hold back
Buttercup as she pulls them inexorably toward the offending vehicle,
leaps in the occupant's lap and nestles in purring while rights are
read and trunks are searched. Yesma'mandsir, if we can get some
trained puss to keep us safe from ourselves, I'll vote for it--cause
I'm betting the independent little cusses will never learn to resist
an open can of 9 Lives in the trunk--or maybe an unopened can. There
won't be much threat of continued surveillance if there's a false
positive in those circumstances.
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