NSW Council for Civil Liberties President, Mr Cameron Murphy, today supported the Launch of the new SMS Alert service sponsored by NSWCCL and the Redfern Legal Centre. 

Mr Murphy said: 

"This is a world first, an information service that will tell people that illicit drugs are illegal and tell tham exactly where sniffer dogs are." 

"If the police have nothing to hide then they have nothing to fear from this information service." 

"As many radio stations do already in relation to speed traps, we are simply telling people to comply with the law and telling them exactly where police are enforcing it." 

"This service sends an instant SMS message to the phones of registered people telling them that illicit drugs are illegal, and giving them the exact location of sniffer dogs." 

"This new website will also keep track of the dog operations and provide accurate data in terms of their deplyoment and any discrimination in the way that they are used." 

"I hope that this service will inform people not to carry illicit drugs and reduce the amount of people charged with drug possession offences through the use of dogs." 

"For far too long police have been targeting drug users with these dogs instead of using valuable resources against drug dealers and the Mr Bigs of the drug business." 

"The vast majority of people searched are not carrying illicit drugs and are being unnecessarily harrassed by police." 

"The use of sniffer dogs is currently under investigation by the NSW Ombudsman and their use should be halted until the Ombudsman's report is completed." 

For further information contact: 
Cameron Murphy, 
NSWCCL President 
0411 769 769