NPR

Police bodycams hold K-9, drug-sniffing dogs accountable now : NPR

For decades, American courts have had to take it on faith that drug-sniffing dogs were impartial. Testimony by a dog's handler, along with training records and credentialing by a local K-9 organization, were usually enough. But the recent spread of body cameras now threatens to upend that faith.

A newly filed federal lawsuit in Texas shows cameras' potential to undermine K-9 unit legitimacy. Houston resident Alek Schott accuses Bexar County Sheriff's deputy Joel Babb of pulling him over on Interstate 35 on false pretenses, and then, when he refused to give permission to search his pickup truck, he says K-9 unit deputy Martin A. Molina III prompted his dog to "alert" to the scent of drugs.

K-9 handler body camera video from Bexar County, Texas. At approximately 1:00, the deputy's right hand is seen in the corner of the screen, gesturing. Alek Schott is suing the sheriff's office, saying that gesture prompted the dog to jump on the door, giving deputies the right to open the truck and search inside. No drugs were found. YouTube "These guys are trying to destroy my life"

Historically, that claim would have been nearly impossible to prove. But in this case, Schott requested and received the officers' body camera footage, giving him almost the same view the K-9 handler had — including the moment the handler's right hand made a gesture toward the attentive dog, which then jumped up on the pickup's door.

"It's clear to me that he's telling the dog to alert," Schott says. "I thought, 'These guys are trying to destroy my life.' "

West Kill Road

In North Bleheim crossing near where the liquid propane gas line that blew up many years ago.

It’s early, likely to be big, sloppy and add even more heat to a warming world | AP News

Here comes El Nino: It’s early, likely to be big, sloppy and add even more heat to a warming world | AP News

FILE - People walk along the oceanfront at Jensen Beach Park, where waves were reaching the dune's edge as conditions deteriorated with the approach of Hurricane Nicole, Nov. 9, 2022, in Jensen Beach, Fla. After months of gradually warming sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean, NOAA officially issued an El Nino advisory Thursday, June 8, 2023, and stated that this one might be different than the others. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File) 1 of 4 FILE - People walk along the oceanfront at Jensen Beach Park, where waves were reaching the dune's edge as conditions deteriorated with the approach of Hurricane Nicole, Nov. 9, 2022, in Jensen Beach, Fla. After months of gradually warming sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean, NOAA officially issued an El Nino advisory Thursday, June 8, 2023, and stated that this one might be different than the others. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)

An early bird El Nino has officially formed, likely to be strong, warp weather worldwide and give an already warming Earth an extra kick of natural heat, meteorologists announced.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Thursday issued an El Nino advisory, announcing the arrival of the climatic condition. It may not quite be like the others.

It formed a month or two earlier than most El Ninos do, which “gives it room to grow,” and there’s a 56% chance it will be considered strong and a 25% chance it reaches supersized levels, said climate scientist Michelle L’Heureux, head of NOAA’s El Nino/La Nina forecast office.

El Nino is officially underway. Here’s what that means for the weather

El Nino is officially underway. Here’s what that means for the weather

After months of anticipation, El Ni?o has officially developed and will have a heavy hand in shaping the weather patterns around the world into 2024.

On Thursday morning, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center announced that "El Ni?o conditions are present and are expected to gradually strengthen into the Northern Hemisphere for the winter of 2023-24."

El Ni?o is a regular climate phenomenon in the eastern Pacific Ocean when water temperatures near the equator are at least 0.9 of a degree F (0.5 of a degree C) above the historical average for a three-month period. The extended period of warmth in this region of the ocean alters the jet stream and the overall weather patterns across North America.