Drug-dog days ahead at schools

Dave Brooks

Police dogs are being reintroduced to Huntington Beach high schools,

where they’ll sniff students’ lockers and cars for drugs and weapons.

Huntington Beach Union High School District Supt. Van Riley

announced the renewal of the program in March after a lull in

funding.

The police dogs will be reintroduced to all seven schools

stretching through Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley and Westminster,

and police agencies from all three cities along with the Orange

County Sheriff’s Department plan to participate in the program.

The dogs are specifically trained to sniff for drugs and weapons.

Before the canines arrive on campus, the school principal will be

notified, but students and parents won’t be told about individual

visits.

A school administrator and public safety officer will accompany

law enforcement officials through the searches. The dogs will sniff

lockers, cars, restrooms and other areas that might be used to

conceal drugs or weapons.

“Students will not be removed from class, nor will the dogs search

students themselves or their backpacks,” Riley said.

If a dog indicates to law enforcement officers that it has found

something, a school administrator will search the locker or car while

the police officer observes.

“Depending on what is found in the search, the student may be

subject to arrest, detention, suspension or other appropriate

disciplinary action,” Riley said.

Police Chief Ken Small said the program is meant to stop students

from bringing drugs to school.

“It has a huge benefit in terms of deterrence,” he said. “We’re

not interested in arresting students for drugs. We’re interested in

keeping students off drugs. If we did this for years and never made a

single arrest, it would be a success, because that meant our schools

would be drug-free.”

The program has been well-received by many parents at the school

who said the searches make them feel safer about where they’re

sending their child to school.

“I really hope it discourages young people from bringing

inappropriate items on to campus,” Huntington Beach High School

parent Anne Smithman said. “In this day and age, we have to monitor

our kids closer. It’s just the times we live in.”

Edison High School mom Stephanie Harr said she had some concerns.

“Children should feel like they’re in school, not in prison,” she

said. “Those dogs can be intimidating, but I think the school

district has done a good job acquainting the students and faculty

with the animals. I think this has a good chance.”