The Use of Strip Searches & Drug Dogs in NSW A Report on 10 Years of Police Data (2014-2023)
This report summarises ten years of data on strip searches and drug dog detection in New South Wales, and makes recommendations for change.
Because data on strip searches—and the breakdown of drugs found during these searches—is not publicly available, Redfern Legal Centre attempted to obtain this information through the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009, but was unsuccessful.
The data was eventually obtained by Harm Reduction Australia via Cate Faehrmann MLC of the Greens NSW, through Questions on Notice—a formal mechanism that allows Members of Parliament to compel the release of detailed written information.
The data revealed that between 2014 and 2023, NSW Police reported conducting 82,471 strip searches.
Out of 82,471 strip searches conducted over ten years, illicit substances were found in only 11,136 cases (13.5%).
This means that 71,335 strip searches—or 86.5%—did not result in any illicit substances being found.