Schaffer Law Library Blog

BBC News and the Daily Telegraph are reporting that “dog handlers will have to consider whether criminals have allergies before conducting searches. The new rules have been brought in because of fears that suspects with medical conditions such as asthma could sue if they suffer an allergy or panic attack during a police raid. Police officers are sceptical – one said, “The traditional shout of ’stand still or I’ll set the dog on you”, will become: “Excuse me, my police dog is quite hairy and might cause alarm as he sinks his fangs into your right thigh. Is that all right with you?“