Police stopping you in the street

Question

the police in manchester have stopped shoppers in the city centre and searched them for drugs and weapons using a drug dog do you think this is a breach of human rights

Answer 1

I'd demand a legitimate reason before they search me. I don't think they are going to do much good there. Whatever drugs they find isn't going to be much and as for weapons a pen knife could be considered a weapon (here the blade has to be something like 3 inches before it is illegal, here being Ireland)

I wouldn't carry either.

Answer 2

Maybe they looked suspicious

Answer 3

Not at all, why is a breach of any ones rights to have a dog sniff you to help protect the community?

Answer 4

It's a good idea and I don't think it's a breach of Human Rights, it should be done more often

Answer 5

If the Police had an articulate reason for scanning you then it would be ok.  (perhaps you were seen in a known drug area).  Since the dog is not actually disrobing you, youre rights have not be infringed.  If the dog hits on you and the Police further request to search you based on the dog's hit, then this would be legal

Answer 6

i think the police are doing a good job. keep the druggies and  gangs at bay. I'm all for it.

Answer 7

it may be an irritant to people being stopped and searched as it wastes time, or look embarrassing.

but i think its absolutely essential in this day and age that stop and searches are carried out.

if u don't do anything illegal you shouldn't mind being stopped and searched especially in the name of national security, people have to look at it that way

Answer 8

If this happens more often it will probably prevent some of this knife crime that's going around everywhere, if people knew that they might be searched there less likely to carry weapons around with them.

Answer 9

Hey i mean, it's a bloody waste of time if your un-armed and not carrying anything. but it will help out the community. but if you had something on you and you saw a cop, you'd cross the road normally, or go the other way.

Answer 10

I think thats totally fine.  

Answer 11

I can see the pros and cons to that... but how can you enjoy a nice day out with your family without being mobbed by the cops?

Answer 12

What rights have been breached? Or suggested to have been breached?

Clearly its an offence to possess illegal drugs.

I think it is good use of the dog when not required elswhere.  

Edit - I think some people are getting mixed up. The dog doesn't search you. It is placed appropriately where large numbers of people would walk past. The dog has a very good nose for illegal drugs and will therefore indicate to its handler when it smell drugs on a passing person. This gives the handler the ground to search that person under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Answer 13

I personally think it’s a sad reflection on the way this country is going that we feel it necessary to do this.  It is however necessary.

I would be happy to be searched by a dog, as I've got nothing to hide.

I can't off the top of my head think of any of the human rights that would be illegally breached by doing this.

Answer 14

THIS IS WRONG, NO POLICE SHOULD STOP ANYONE FOR ANYREASON WITHOUT PROBABLE CAUSE< MABEY COMMONERS NEED WEAPONS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST TYRANT POLICE>

Woopdeeedoo.... drugs, what are they findong on PEDESTRIANS??? a little harmless pot, or some HORRIBLE EVIL SATANIC magic mushrooms..... I can see em' now... " we found thirty pounds of uncut cocaine in his shirt pocket and a joint behind his ear....OMG A JOINT!  "

Answer 15

I believe it is a good idea!They are welcome to stop and search me!Any time!I have nothing to hide!

Answer 16

the police must  have reasonable grounds to suspect you of a crime then

the police officer must caution you and then the search must keep it too outer clothing unless its under section 44 anti terrorism law then and only

the he is allowed to ask you to remove you inner clothing

for shop lifting the officer is allowed to search your bag

hope this is good enough info

Answer 17

No I do not think the Manchester Police are breaching anyone's human rights.  If a person is not carrying guns, knives, drugs, then they have nothing to fear.

I give the Manchester fuzz [ye thin blue line] 10 out of 10 for effort and hope they capture lots of nasties out there.

Bout time we did something similar here in London.

Dream on.

Answer 18

I'd have no objection at all.  The way I look at it is, some nasty little s hite sticking me or mine with a knife is going to disrupting more than my human rights . . .

Answer 19

No, last week I had my purse containing money, 2 gold rings ( I was at a health club and advised to take them off in the pool due to the chemicals in the water) driving licence, cards etc, and my mobile stolen. The police thought they knew the perpetrators by the signing in book on reception. They found them hours later stopped and searched them, but found nothing on them. Because of the powers that the police have to stop and search, if they had found something of mine oh and 3 others that also had stuff stolen, we could have prosecuted them, and I for one would have been a great witness!

Answer 20

I think they are doing their job properly! This things need to be done every so often to keep the community safe. It is not breaking any human rights. BUT if the police are stopping a particular person/s repeatedly with no success of finding a  crime committed then they could be liable for harassment

Answer 21

its not really a breach human rights .. the police can only ask you to remove certain items of clothing if they stop you randomly( i think its you hat and gloves with no evidence )

it protects everyone else in the city center  

Answer 22

DO I THINK this is a breach of human rights? NO OF COURSE NOT, during the n**i's occupation of Europe, any Jews walking in the inner side of the streets are told to walk in the pavement or outside of the pavement not only that they even slapped people on the face. NOW THAT IS A BREACH OF HUMAN RIGHTS, if the UK police is doing it then it is a breach but here they are searching for drugs and weapons of all sort for the PROTECTION OF MANY not just a few civilians now that is POLICE WORK.

I know you are just concerned about HUMAN RIGHTS all the time, but sometimes we also ABUSE the so called human rights we have. THOSE DEMONSTRATORS lining themselves on the streets for protest and all that stuff that is abuse of human rights, every motorist is problematic because of the traffic they do in the streets, but do these demonstrators care about other people's rights too? No they don't they just like to parade with placards and streamers demanding human rights abuses yet they themselves are the abusers of other people's right of way. They are occupying the whole road.

WHY BE AFRAID IF YOU ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG.