• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Drug Dogs to Search High Schools

Posted on: Tuesday, 6 June 2006, 09:01 CDT

By Jamie Francisco, Chicago Tribune

Jun. 6--Students stashing drugs, alcohol or prescription pills in lockers at the three Maine Township high schools could be exposed by specially trained dogs, under a policy approved Monday.

The Maine Township High School District 207 board voted 6-1 to allow dogs to detect banned or unauthorized substances on its campuses.

"We're making a move to help kids make better choices and get drugs out of our schools," board member Roger Crawford said.

In March a district committee proposed guidelines on drug searches, fleshing out a provision in the disciplinary code that already allowed the use of specially trained dogs, said Rose Garlasco, an assistant principal at Maine South in Park Ridge who headed the K9 committee.

Results from a survey passed out to the parents of the district's 7,500 students found that nearly 90 percent were in favor of using dogs in drug searches, Garlasco said.

"We have a responsibility to keep our schools safe," Garlasco said. "Most of our kids don't use. What are we telling all those other kids by passively allowing things to happen that really shouldn't?"

Student advisory committees at Maine East in Park Ridge, Maine West in Des Plaines and Maine South also expressed support for the program, said Greg Dietz, assistant superintendent.

"The overwhelming majority of students said we don't want drugs in our schools," Dietz said. "This is in response to what a majority of kids are telling us."

The district had worked for several years on the policy to use dogs in drug searches, said Garlasco, who also heads the Maine Community Youth Assistance Foundation, a task force dedicated to curbing substance abuse among students. The policy is intended to deter students from bringing drugs on campus, she said.

"Do I expect 20 arrests from this? No," Garlasco said. "Even if we get none, it still sends a message: We want to be a drug-free school. We don't want you bringing drugs here."

Details about how frequently searches will be conducted still need to be worked out, but district officials anticipate at least one search per semester.

The board also needs to determine whether they will use free police dogs or dogs provided by Interquest Detection Canines, a Houston company, at $300 per visit, Garlasco said.

jfrancisco@tribune.com

-----

Copyright (c) 2006, Chicago Tribune

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Source: Chicago Tribune

More News in this Category