RLC condemns repeated raids by NSW Police on Oxford Street venues as harassment of the LGBTIQA+ community that fail to disrupt drug supply while causing real social harm and health risks.
Police accountability practice lead, Rian Terrell, said:
"NSW Police's Repeated decisions by NSW Police to deploy drug dogs to target patrons of venues on Oxford Street amount to targeted harassment of the LGBTQIA+ community.
This is particularly concerning given the police watchdog, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, directed NSW Police to reopen a misconduct investigation into its actions targeting Sydney LGBTQIA+ venues just last month
That NSW Police chose to raid Oxford Street again, when that investigation has not concluded, raises further concerns about NSW Police lack of accountability.
We know that drug dogs are statistically inaccurate and have been found to exacerbate health and social harms to already marginalised groups.
Drug detection dogs are intimidating and a safety risk, encouraging patrons to engage in risky behaviour such as 'preloading' or panic consumption.
The significant harm caused by deploying drug dogs and searching members of the LGBTQI community is not justified.
Use of drug dogs, widescale strip searches and searches do little to disrupt drug supply and deter drug use.
The 2024 NSW Drug Summit made several recommendations, including related to the use of drug dogs, many of which have not been accepted or implemented by the NSW Government.
We call on the NSW government to introduce evidence-based drug reforms and expand harm reduction programs as a matter of urgency. "
