SNIFFER PATROLS LOOK FOR DRUGS

SNIFFER dogs will patrol Melbourne streets up to 16 hours a day, seven days
a week to hound heroin dealers.

The dogs will check laneways, carparks and other areas, backed by mounted
and uniform officers.

Police have battled a surge in heroin dealing near Russell St and
drug-related crime in the city over the past few years.

And they hope the dog patrol, believed to be a first for Australia, will
improve the perception that Melbourne is the world's safest city.

If the operation was successful, Supt Tony Warren said it would spread to
suburbs such as Collingwood, Footscray and Springvale.

"The bottom line for us is we don't want drugs in the city, the public don't
want drugs in the city, and the likelihood of persons carrying or having
drugs in the city and being caught is going to be fairly high," he said.

"We are keen to ensure that we improve our chances of apprehension."

Supt Warren said that although the operation would focus on heroin, sniffer
dogs could also detect other drugs.

Police believe they know of many areas dealers use to hide drugs and have
been monitoring them using undercover and uniform police.

"It is a pretty well-known fact that most of the dealers don't carry all of
their contraband with them at the time," Supt Warren said. "They will hide
it away in certain areas and that's for their own safety as well as not been
caught with too much."

He said although police would not direct dogs to search people for drugs,
officers on foot patrol would investigate any fortuitous finds on
passers-by.

Supt Warren said police were confident they had reduced a large amount of
crime in Melbourne and would work extremely hard at reducing any anti-social
behavior in the city.

Checked-by: Don Beck