One man was arrested and six were stop searched in Carlisle this weekend as Cumbria Constabulary revealed their new team dedicated to sniffing out drugs on our streets.
Over the last month the Constabulary has been intensively training three of their Spaniels to become passive drugs dogs to help the force stamp out narcotics use and supply across the county. Passive drug detection dogs are specially trained to patrol crowded areas quietly indicating when they detect the scent of illegal drugs on a person. This indication then gives the police the ability to search individuals and take action if drugs are located.
The team conducted their first operation in Carlisle on Saturday night (22 May) patrolling, alongside officers from the local policing team, in and around pubs and clubs in the Botchergate and Englishgate areas of the city. As a result a 27-year-old man from Hexham was arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A cocaine and bailed to return to Carlisle Police Station on 28 May.
Sergeant Mark Yielder, in charge of Cumbria Constabulary’s Dog Unit, said: “This was the first operation where we used the new team and I am delighted that it was successful. 2000 people were scanned by the team and the patrols acted as an effective deterrent to those intending to carry or distribute drugs in the area.
“Police officers need reasonable suspicion to search a person so we have trained these three Spaniels to be able to provide that by discreetly indicating the scent of illegal substances by sitting down next to or in-front of them. This then gives our officers the power to stop and search someone who they suspect may be carrying controlled drugs. The passive dogs can detect as little as two grams of anything from cannabis to crack cocaine - so they are extremely effective.
“We are committed to tackling the scourge of illegal drugs and the impact they have on our communities and these newly trained dogs will help us do that all around the county. Dogs with these specific skills have been brought in for use by the force in the past – however this is the first time we have had our own dogs and their handlers specially trained so we can use them passively whenever and wherever we choose. They will be invaluable in our fight to rid drugs from our streets.”
Chief Inspector Mark Pannone, in charge of uniformed policing in North Cumbria, said: “Passive narcotics dogs are an excellent way of detecting illegal drugs on our streets and also act as an effective deterrent to those intending to carry or supply them. Illegal drugs have a devastating impact on our communities so we will use every tool at our disposal to bring offenders to justice and ensure Cumbria remains one of the safest places in the country to live, work and visit."