Drug and bomb sniffing dogs used by law enforcement agencies have an accuracy rate of about 44%. The training of the dog and handler can affect the accuracy. There is no established training and certification process, and dogs can be influenced by their handler’s beliefs. A dog’s performance can affect legal proceedings.
Many law enforcement agencies use drug and drug sniffing dogs to protect the public, but there is some concern about the accuracy of this method of drug and bomb detection. The Chicago Tribune performed an analysis of cases in which drug dogs identified contraband and found that the dogs were about 44% accurate. Experts in training these dogs, however, have noted that a dog’s ability to sniff out a bomb or drugs depends precisely on its training. There is no single established training and certification process for drug dogs or their handlers, which contributes to the inaccuracies.
Learn more about drug and bomb sniffing dogs:
The cost of training drug and bomb detection dogs increased after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C.
There is evidence that dogs can be influenced by their handler’s beliefs. If a handler is convinced that a person has drugs on them, the dog is more likely to indicate the presence of drugs, even if the person does not have any.
A dog’s performance can affect legal proceedings. If a dog has a high error rate, a judge might rule that law enforcement officials who use the dog could not use the dog’s indication of drugs or bombs as probable cause to perform a search.
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