cannabisnews.com: Dope-Sensitive Dogs Sniff Out Problems in Schools Dope-Sensitive Dogs Sniff Out Problems in Schools Posted by FoM on November 23, 2000 at 07:09:50 PT By Rene Amy Source: Los Angeles Times If you could virtually eliminate the threat of drugs, alcohol, explosives and guns from our local public school campuses, would you do it? If you could do it without touching the money intended for educational programs, would that make your decision easier? Would it help to know that one of the key players was chosen as one of the most popular individuals in Santa Monica last year? If you were able to choose the same program used by many private schools in the area, and recognized as effective by state and federal agencies, would you really have to make a choice? Probably not, if you're a parent of a child in our schools. It would probably be a no-brainer. But, if you're a member of the Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education, the answer's still up in the air. Incredible as it may seem, in spite of overwhelming evidence of the Detection Canine deterrence program, some members of the PUSD board are waffling. As an example of the program's effectiveness, Pasadena High School, one of two schools to pilot the program last year, told parents in the school newsletter that drug-related incidents declined 43% as a result of the program. Principal Ben Ramirez told the school board at its last meeting that his school has seen a tenfold increase in incidents this year without the dogs. Dogs? In our schools? Dogs and kids? Yup, but not the kind that might come to mind. While many think law enforcement and dogs necessarily means big, possibly vicious German shepherd K-9s, the dogs used in schools are hearth rug poster pooches. Bandit, a golden retriever, made Santa Monica's "Our Times" list of most popular folks in that city for his work at Venice High School. Last year, he made the rounds of PHS and Washington Middle School, sniffing the air with a nose 1,000 times more sensitive than any human's. While Bandit and dogs like him have been specially trained to find controlled substances and gunpowder, the goal of the program is to keep the dogs sniffing, and coming up empty-pawed. Once students know that the dogs may come to campus at any time, and check anywhere -- perhaps even every day for a week straight -- these kids know that school is not the place to bring these things. During a schoolwide presentation before the random visits actually start, children and their parents are shown the dog's truly amazing olfactory abilities, smelling the alcohol in an unopened beer can, or a joint through six plastic bags. Suddenly, kids know that if they bring the stuff, no matter how well hidden, they run a very real risk of getting caught, and punished. Though some may try to downplay the intelligence of those who would do dope, they're smart enough to realize that bringing contraband to school is dumb, given that the dogs might come at any time. Private schools in the area use the detection dogs to ease the minds of parents who've paid to ensure that their children get a quality education. Maranatha High School, LaSalle High School and St. Francis High School are among those that have found that the program, which costs about $1 per student per year, is a cost-effective way to keep their campuses safe, and their students clean. Public schools get an even better deal, since the federal government picks up the entire tab for the program, through drug-intervention program grants. With all these pluses, how could anyone not want to see the program in our schools? Some have a misplaced view that the dogs are an invasion of privacy, impinging on students' rights. What those who feel that way may not realize, or choose to forget, is that schools are legally required to operate "in loco parentis" -- in the place of the parent, taking all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of students, just as if the students were their own children. Just as a parent may search a child's room, so administrators may (and do) search a student's locker. Sniffing the air in hallways, or the air around backpacks and seats in an empty classroom, but never sniffing a student, is much less invasive and has been proven much more effective. With 82% of students polled by administrators at PHS in favor of continuing and expanding the detection program districtwide; with other schools queuing up to request the program at their site; and with administrators at other sites in favor of having the dogs at their schools; those making the decision about the future of this program should carefully consider the reasons a high school in Colorado signed up the dogs after reopening last year. It was a school that thought it didn't have any drug or violence problems. That school was Columbine High. Rene Amy is a parent - activist and a onetime candidate for the Pasadena Board of Education. Complete Title: Dope-Sensitive Dogs Sniff Out Problems in Schools Before They StartNews from Pasadena in the Times Community Newspapers.Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)Author: Rene AmyPublished: Thursday, November 23, 2000Copyright: 2000 Los Angeles TimesContact: letters latimes.comAddress: Times Mirror SquareLos Angeles, CA 90053Fax: (213) 237-4712Website: http://www.latimes.com/Related Articles:School Board Considers New Search Policy http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7714.shtmlConcerned Parents Turn To Drug-Sniffing Dogshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/5/thread5288.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #1 posted by freedom fighter on November 25, 2000 at 16:23:37 PT How senstive would the dog's nose be? If I go to a school and start spraying some bong water blend with leaves of cannabis all over the place. Yeah, I am sure it have happened before.And oh, by the way, I do'nt think the dogs would stopped the two sick boys and they were not on drugs when they did that.My co-worker who is an ex-cop said that SWAT forces were not trained for terrorist activity. I stated,"yeah, they were to busy arresting the potheads. You know potheads do not do anything." My co-worker had to smile. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: