DOGS LEAD WAY IN WAR ON DRUGS

POLICE dogs are being sent into pubs in a crackdown on the night-time drugs
culture in Burnley and Barnoldswick.

Ecstasy and cannabis have already been seized after a number of visits to
pubs in the two towns.

And now officers are planning to step up the crackdown and using the
specially-trained dogs more often.

PC Bob Tullet and his springer spaniel called Ben and PC Paul Sharples and
his labrador Rory have conducted more than 20 visits already.

continued... The ecstasy and cannabis sniffed out had been left abandoned
by the drug users.

When they did not find any drugs, the dogs were able to give an indication
of where substance abuse had taken place in pubs.

That information has been given to landlords so they could take steps to
prevent drug taking on their premises.

PC Sharples, said: "Our dogs are capable of sniffing out all kinds of drugs
and they can detect even the smallest of amounts.

"So be warned this type of visit can and will occur in your local pub."

Insp Martin Hall added: "Our visits to such premises will continue
throughout the year.

"By utilising our drugs dogs in this environment we are better prepared to
combat the use of so called recreational drugs' in our public houses, while
still targeting underage drinking and anti-social behaviour."

Earlier this year PC Sharples was left without a dog for six weeks due to a
shortage of recruits to the dog unit.

Lancashire police has 36 dogs but has been finding it hard to attract the
best four-legged recruits in the face of competition from every other UK
police forces, the RAF and from private security companies.