Be(a)ware of the dog: the symbolic-disciplinary functions of drug detection dogs in English music festivals

Abstract

This paper examines the institutionalisation of Drug Detection Dogs (DDDs) at British music festivals, highlighting a paradox at the heart of contemporary festival security practices. While festivals have increasingly embraced harm reduction strategies in response to drug-related deaths, they have simultaneously intensified law enforcement measures at entry points. DDDs are widely deployed despite research demonstrating their ineffectiveness in deterring drug use and their potential to increase drug-related harm. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork at eight festivals and eleven interviews with police, security personnel, and event managers, this study investigates how DDDs persist as a security measure despite their questionable utility. Using a novel theoretical framework that combines Foucauldian disciplinary power with symbolic policy theory, the paper conceptualises DDDs through a symbolic-disciplinary nexus. It argues that DDDs serve dual functions: at the micro-level, they shape attendee behaviour through visible displays of authority and moral messaging; at the macro-organisational level, they act as symbolic performances of security competence aimed at satisfying external stakeholders such as police and licensing authorities. This dual role contributes to a self-reinforcing security ratchet, where the perceived legitimacy and institutional value of DDDs outweigh their practical effectiveness. The paper concludes by discussing the broader implications of symbolic-disciplinary security practices and offers policy recommendations for moving beyond performative control measures. It advocates for a shift toward evidence-based harm reduction approaches that prioritise public health and civil liberties over symbolic displays of control.