DRUG-SNIFFING POOCH PATROL LANDS BART IN THE DOGHOUSE

Looking back, BART Board member Dan Richards has only one thing to say
about the transit system's recent experiment putting a dope-sniffing dog on
trains: "We really stepped in it."

According to BART officials, the doggy dope-sniffing patrol, which was a
joint (pardon the pun) program between the U.S. Customs Service and the
rapid-transit cops, was merely an outgrowth of talks about BART's plans to
start going directly into the airport.

"Customs had some concerns about smuggling, and one thing just led to
another," said BART spokesman Mike Healy. "All they wanted to do was show
how friendly and passively the dog interacted with passengers.

"The dog (Millie) was friendly and passive all right, but it also did what
dope-sniffing dogs do, which is sniff out drugs on people," Healy added.

The result: one guy busted for having nine bags of pot, 13 people cited for
smaller amounts -- and a whole lot of bad press.

"It was bad enough that we weren't told about the program before it
started, " says board member Richards, "but then once the public outcry
came, BART management just sat on their backsides.

"Well, it's over now. You can tell people we've called off the dogs, so to
speak.

"I just hope that when you report all this you note that the cops are still
working 12-hour days and standing out there on the platforms to make sure
the trains are safe, which is what they are supposed to be doing," Richards
said.