I really don't care. Keep illegal shit out of your car and you won't have a problem if a dog alerts in error on your car. I understand it's pushing the envelope (way past the breaking point in many cases) of an illegal search, but I still don't care.
You're entitled to waive your 4th amendment rights, but police aren't entitled to waive yours, or mine, for me. What if you just don't want to be hassled, would prefer to get on your way at a traffic stop instead of waiting another
half hour plus for a dog to come and sniff around then have the vehicle exhaustively searched and left in disarray? Isn't it even worse (to an innocent person) if you don't have anything illegal in your vehicle?
I've seen too many fucking dead people because folks refuse to be responsible and only use drugs and alcohol at home. This doesn't mean I want storm troopers kicking in your door for warrantless searches. I don't agree with detaining a car and waiting for a dog either. But if a dog is readily available and it alerts on a vehicle it's more often than not because there are or have been drugs on board.
No, according to studies it's as often that there isn't and never was any contraband detected. They don't rig the studies by smoking pot then sneaking it away to get false detections. It's not about irresponsible transport of drugs, it's about false probable cause to violate your rights.
Really, how I feel about the drug war is that it's total, complete bullshit. Let folks get fucked up on whatever they want to because it's none of my business, so long as they keep it at home and off the streets. We should legalize drugs, remove the monetary rewards LE agencies get for targeting drug users, legalize drug use at home, and put the criminal element out of business. But something has to be done about the huge percentage of drug users who think it's fine to do it while driving.
Apples and oranges. How are they supposed to GET their drugs home if they aren't in public whether walking or driving? On the other hand an excessively drug intoxicated driver is probable cause without a dog, should not be allowed to drive away if too impaired to pass their field tests or was driving unsafely (perpetually, not just running one stop sign or whatever) whether it be drugs, alcohol, mental state or vehicle disrepair.
When I hear someone pissed off about a drug dog alert on their car it's usually someone who was smoking in their car, refused the search and a drug dog gave probable cause and they got caught. I'm crying no tears for them.
Catching the guilty does not justify violating the rights of the innocent. If you disagree you are welcome to petition to try to get rid of the 4th Amendment.
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