Sniffer dogs to be used to find date rape drugs

by · Mail Online

Sniffer dogs are now being used by police to detect date-rape drugs in pubs, clubs and bars – as the PM announced today tough new measures to tackle drink spiking. 

Humberside Police have recently been joined on patrol in Beverley, East Yorkshire, by Lottie - a trained pointer.

She is among the first ever canines in the UK trained to find substances associated with spiking incidents, including GHB, Rohypnol and ketamine.

It comes as Sir Keir Starmer vowed to tackle an epidemic of illicit drink spiking by training 10,000 bar staff to spot it happening - as it becomes a specific criminal offence for the first time. 

Officers say Lottie's keen sense of smell has proven effective at sniffing out even a trace amount of drugs.

Her incredibly sensitive nose is able to locate as little as half a tablet of a substance.

She is one of several dogs trained by East Yorkshire-based Inter K9 to detect the drugs and the force say more of these pups will be used in the future to help in their fight against drink spiking.

Speaking whilst out on one of these patrols, Humberside Police dog handler Ian Deaville told the BBC: 'We are looking for people with substances on them that they shouldn't have.

Humberside Police have recently been joined on patrol in Beverley, East Yorkshire, by Lottie - a trained pointer pooch
Officers say Lottie's keen sense of smell has proven effective at sniffing out even a trace amount of drugs
Research shows 13 per cent of women and nine per cent of men believe they have been the victim of drink spiking, but nine-in-10 don't bother reporting it to police. (file photo)

'Date rape and spiking drugs are a new thing. It means we are not just out chasing coke, weed and MDMA. We should also be chasing date-rape drugs because they cause harm to other people.'

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Drink spiking to be made specific crime for the first time with bar staff trained to spot offenders

'If you've got an existing drug dog, it's just another odour to add on to their repertoire.'

Lottie has been joining officers as they go in and out of bars in the town on Friday and Saturday nights - a move which has been welcomed by many pub owners.

Dawn Wilkinson, who runs the Windmill Inn, said: 'I love it. I'm all for bringing the dogs in. More of this is a great thing for me. To stop any of the date-rape stuff is great.'

On one patrol, Lottie led officers to a man suspected of having a bag of cocaine and found an unidentified substance on the floor of another venue. 

Sergeant Ben Stanyon said: 'Drugs were located on one of them and further substances had been discarded in the premises, likely in response to the dog being there.'

Research shows 13 per cent of women and nine per cent of men believe they have been the victim of drink spiking, but nine-in-10 don't bother reporting it to police.

This is despite it often leading to those targeted also falling victim to sex crimes, robbery and theft.

Humberside Police dog handler Ian Deaville (pictured) said the date-rape drugs were just 'another odour' to the trained dogs 
Lottie has been joining officers as they go in and out of bars in the town on Friday and Saturday nights

Launching a pilot scheme at No10 on Monday alongside senior police officers and leisure industry leaders, Sir Keir said the new programme would be rolled out nationwide in March.

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Spiking is to be made a specific criminal offence for the first time

Bartenders and bouncers will be taught how to identify offenders and victims under the new drive to cut down on the number of people being given knock-out drugs on nights out.

The PM said that such a measure would mean that it 'enables everybody to have the confidence to come forward' and also 'it allows perpetrators to know that it's a specific offence.'

A poll by Drinkaware and Anglia Ruskin University last week found that just 10 per cent of offences are reported to police, with half of those targeted saying they 'don't see the point' of reporting it.

The Home Office is also allocating £250,000 to train pub and bar workers how to prevent spiking.

The money will fund training for up to 10,000 serving staff and 'bouncers' how to spot the signs of a potential offender, protect victims and preserve evidence for police.

The new offence would mean perpetrators 'feel the full force of the law', a government spokesman said.

Launching a pilot scheme at No10 today alongside senior police officers and leisure industry leaders, Sir Keir said the programme would be rolled out nationwide in March.

Speaking ahead of the meeting the PM said: 'We must do more to bring the vile perpetrators who carry out this cowardly act, usually against young women and often to commit a sexual offence, to justice.

'That is why I made a promise that, if elected, I would make spiking a new criminal offence.

'Today, I am proud to have come good on that pledge.'

He added: 'I will bring together police chiefs, heads of industry and transport bosses to demand coordinated action to stop women being targeted, whether they are out with friends or simply travelling home.

'Cracking down on spiking is central to that mission. '