The Colorado Supreme Court ruled this week that using police dogs trained to sniff for marijuana constitutes a search.
The justices now say that state police need probable cause to use those dogs.
But if officers have probable cause, they can just search you, so they don't need to use the dogs at all. Bye-bye, drug-sniffing dogs in Colorado, right?
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Well, I was wondering about those places where federal and state law overlap. Places like ... Denver International Airport. I see dogs there all the time on my (love) commute. And sometimes, those dogs sniff every single person in the TSA line.
Are those DIA dogs looking for weed or bombs or both?
Colorado Public Radio reporter Natalia V. Navarro found out: Denver Police have two marijuana-sniffing dogs. DPD says they don't work at DIA. DIA says most of the dogs that work at DIA are TSA's dogs.
And TSA says those dogs don't sniff for marijuana, either.
So it stands to reason (if you believe law enforcement) that all those dogs at DIA sniff for bombs ... and nothing else.
DIA's official policy is that it is "unlawful" to possess marijuana at DIA.
So if they catch you with weed, what will they do?
By most accounts, they tell you to toss it or get out of line. But if DIA’s official policy is that it is unlawful to possess marijuana there, do they refer you to law enforcement or do they just let it go?
Well, The Cannabist reports that the TSA refers anyone caught with marijuana at DIA to Denver cops. And DPD says that passenger is given the option of tossing it (hope I didn’t just give you any ideas) or getting out of line and taking it home.
