RE: How much is that doggie sniffing my car...

["Jason Abbott" <jabbott@uidaho.edu>]

Robert,

I happen to think that the government should have nothing to do with
drugs.  But so long as they have decided to go to great lengths to
protect us from ourselves and others I still don't see much difference
between a sniffing dog and a metal detector.  It's true that a metal
detector may reveal items that pose a more immediate threat to others
but I think drug use can also pose a threat.  It may endanger the
user's children, fellow employees or fellow commuters.  And, although
it may be a matter of some debate, there does seem to exist a
correlation between regular drug users and crime.

I think your "imminent threat" distinction is valid but I'm not sure
that it has any bearing on dog sniffing *as a procedure*.  As a
procedure it seems to invade privacy no more than a metal detector.  I
guess that if current law grants scans (by animals or electronics), if
you will, of personal belongings based only on a perception of
imminent threat then you would be correct.  But if this were so then
it must be true that metal detectors are legal only in areas of
possible imminent threats.  For example, would it be illegal for me to
put a metal detector in the doorway to my home, where there are no
imminent threats?  Are there restrictions on where metal detectors can
be placed, due to privacy concerns?  If so, then I concede this point,
otherwise it wouldn't seem that "imminent threat" is actually a factor
in scans of personal property.  I'm sure one of the law people here
could clarify.

Jason Abbott       - Boise, Idaho, USA
jabbott@uidaho.edu - http://www.uidaho.edu/~jabbott
Home: 208/336-3678 - Work: 208/364-4051 - FAX: 208/364-4035