HOW CLUB CULTURE WENT TO THE DOGS

POLICE use of sniffer dogs to crack down on drug use at some of Sydney's
trendiest clubs has angered many celebrities and young people, who fear
their nightlife culture is now under attack.

The raids have not only led to the closure of leading clubs, arrests and
drugs confiscations, but are raising serious questions about issues of
civil liberties.

The extensive use of sniffer dogs last weekend has outraged civil
libertarians, nightclub owners, hoteliers and youth activists.

They believe police have gone too far and many innocent people are being
humiliated.

No-one doubts drug use among Sydney's hip young set is rampant. Police
critics just question how they are trying to stop it. Home And Away
heart-throb Beau Brady confessed to The Sunday Telegraph: "Everyone seems
to be doing drugs."

"It wouldn't surprise me if my mates were doing drugs," he said. "Everyone
seems to be doing it. It's amazing how many people are going out and taking
drugs.

"It really is a bit of a spin-out, just how many people are taking drugs.
I've had a couple of friends who have been searched in Victoria St (Kings
Cross)."

Sniffer Dogs

IN last week's police raids, dogs "sniffed" more than 1500 people at five
nightclubs, 18 people were charged in relation to drug offences and drugs
were seized.

A small army of 300 police raided DCM and NV nightclubs in Oxford St, EP1
and Zen nightclubs in Kings Cross, and Embassy nightclub in Double Bay.

City East Region Commander Dick Adams closed all the clubs for 72 hours and
indicated he would apply to the licensing court to permanently close four.

"The clear message for anyone who wants to come into the city and sell
drugs is that the next person you sell drugs to is likely to be an
undercover police officer," he warned. "If club owners are going to allow
their premises to be used to sell drugs, we are going to close those clubs."

The venues attract large crowds of young clubbers.

The Embassy at Double Bay, in particular, regularly attracts a "Who's Who"
clientele and has hosted supermodel Naomi Campbell, actors Ewan McGregor
and Vin Diesel, and singer Christina Aguilera.

"I'd be embarrassed -- being seen as some sort of public figure -- to get
sniffed while I was out," admitted Brady.

"I don't think it's a very good idea to use sniffer dogs in clubs. They
should re-evaluate their policy. It's just silly."

Police seized drugs from each venue, including white powder believed to be
cocaine, tablets believed to be ecstasy and cannabis.

Brady and his Network Seven co-stars Danny Raco and Zac Drayson, however,
said the use of sniffer dogs appalled them.

Drayson, 18, said he was subjected to a police sniffer dog during a recent
night out in Sydney.

"I've been sniffed by a sniffer dog outside a nightclub," confirmed the
soap star, who plays Will Smith on Home And Away.

"It just amazed me. It seems like they are trying to give people a crap
night out. I don't think it's a good idea at all."

While Dryson opposes drugs, he couldn't see the point of targeting
low-level recreational drug users.

"People are going to take drugs -- that's a fact of life. But these raids
don't achieve anything."

Raco, 21, said he had never used drugs but believes that Operation Street
Safe, the police campaign using sniffer dogs in nightclubs, is
counter-productive.

"I've never seen anything like a raid and I've never gone near drugs, but
this is a complete invasion of privacy," he said.

"If you go out to have a good time, it's the last thing you need. The whole
approach could be a little bit more subtle."

Hoteliers

THE Australian Hotels Association (AHA) has appealed to Police Commissioner
Peter Ryan for a meeting to discuss the use of sniffer dogs in pubs. AHA
president John Thorpe said many hotels, most of them in the Parramatta and
St George-Sutherland regions, had complained.

"The association understands the necessity of sniffer dogs in community
policing, but we do ask a certain amount of discretion be afforded to
patrons in hotels who might be searched," he said.

"It is extremely upsetting when a patron comes into a hotel for the purpose
of having a quiet meal and is subjected to a full search in view of other
diners."

One former club owner said patronage at his place dropped 70 per cent after
it was raided, despite no drugs being found.

"There is only so much you can do to police drug use in a club," he said.
"We had security guards patrolling toilets and signs up in the toilets, at
the bar and on the stairs, and we didn't tolerate drug use.

"If there was any suspicious behaviour, those people were thrown out. I've
thrown out my fair share of actors and musos."

Triple J identity Nicole Fossati, who helped launch Bondi Beach's annual
Mobile Home dance party on Thursday night, also protested about the sniffer
dog campaign.

"I understand the police need to be seen to be effective, but when you
break it down, it's ineffective; it's grandstanding," Fossati said.

"I'm not pro-drugs but this isn't the way to stop it. Get the big guys and
stop showing off."

Complaints

NSW Council for Civil Liberties president Cameron Murphy said his
organisation had received 750 complaints about sniffer dogs in the past
three months.

"We think the use of sniffer dogs is illegal," he said. "What they are
doing is undermining the presumption of innocence with illegal searches."

Mr Murphy said police use of sniffer dogs in clubs and other public spaces
would be put to the test in court on November 9.

More than 15 people facing drug-related charges will challenge police over
the legality of their actions.

Mr Murphy said many people were "humiliated and degraded" after being strip
searched and sniffed by police dogs.

"The focus of police is supposed to be the Mr Bigs, yet this is not
targeting any of those people.

"The reality is it's done absolutely nothing to stop the drug trade. It's a
complete waste of police resources."

Mr Murphy said the Redfern Legal Centre was mounting a legal case on the
basis that the sniffer dog searches breach the Drugs Misuse and Trafficking
Act.

"The police should stop using the dogs until the situation is clarified,"
he said.

He said police had been using the dogs to conduct random searches since the
Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras earlier this year.

The Redfern Legal Centre has had complaints about the sniffer dogs from
everyone from high school students on the upper north shore to hoteliers in
Sutherland.

Police Warning

A POLICE spokesperson maintained that the use of the dogs was legal and
confirmed on Friday that sniffer dogs would continue to patrol the streets.

NSW Police Commissioner Peter Ryan congratulated the officers involved in
the Street Safe operation and warned more dealers would be caught.

"The raids were well organised, well executed and everyone who played a
part in the raids should be commended for a job well done," he said. "We're
having a real impact on dismantling drug networks throughout the city and
this is a clear message that their time is up.

"Not only will we be trying to shut these clubs down, but we'll be
targeting even more licensed premises. Make no mistake, this is just the
beginning."

In State Parliament last week, Bligh MP Clover Moore protested what she
labelled "showtime policing" at the cost of community policing.

"Showtime policing, with police serving as extras in a publicity campaign
that diverts attention away from serious problems, does not provide the
grassroots, local community policing needed to address serious inner-city
problems," she said.

"I am concerned that showy drug raids serve to divert attention from the
serious concerns of corruption and mismanagement in the police service."

Redfern Legal Centre's Timothy Moore said 71 per cent of people stopped and
searched were found not to be carrying any drugs.

One nightclubber searched by a sniffer dog in the Globe nightclub but found
not to be carrying drugs said she was outraged.

"It was quite shocking," said the 23-year-old student, who wanted to be
identified only as Claire.

"I was really embarrassed. I thought I was in a venue where something like
that wouldn't happen. I really objected to it."

Shocked

Veteran Sydney nightclub owner Ian Hartley said he supported the raids and
was shocked when a large quantity of illicit drugs were found on patrons in
his establishment, Oxford St's Q Bar.

"When you run a club, you get de-sensitised," explained Hartley, who is
about to open another club on the Oxford St nightclub strip.

"When they did the raid on our place (earlier this year), I was quite
amazed and embarrassed at the volume of stuff coming out of pockets."

Mr Hartley, like many nightclub owners, erected signs warning that drugs
and drug use would not be tolerated in his establishment. "The raids are
effective in that it makes people realise it's not just carte blanch (with
drug use in venues). It might make some people stop and think."