Pubdate: Sat, 07 Apr 2001
Source: Duncan News Leader (CN BC)
Copyright: 2001 Duncan News Leader
Contact:  http://www.duncannewsleader.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1314
Author:  Steven Addison

SCHOOLS LET THE DOGS SNIFF

Cowichan school board wants RCMP to search school lockers for drugs, 
but must first develop a protocol that is fair to police, parents, 
staff and students.

The board voted six-two Wednesday night to hammer out the details of 
an agreement with local RCMP that would allow  Const. Al Hamilton and 
his German shepherd drug dog Gator to sniff lockers for contraband.

"It is a good idea," said Trustee Gary Gunderson. "Illegal drugs have 
no place in our schools. The use of drugs has been going on for quite 
some time and the perpetrators have been doing it with impunity."

The deal will likely go ahead only if the public supports the notion, 
if students are notified prior to searches and if police can 
recommend charges when contraband is seized.

Trustee Janice Macalister said police should take a hard-line 
approach by charging students caught with drugs.

"If this saves one child in the Valley it's worth it," she said.

Two trustees voted against the idea.

James Bell said it would be easy for students to plant drugs in each 
other's lockers.

"One single cannabis cigarette will give them a record. It will hang 
over them for the rest of their lives," he said. "This is a matter 
that must be handled by the school and the parents, not the RCMP."

Trustee Peter Sussman also expressed concern the wrong people could 
be blamed - specifically when students share lockers.

"I see that as a real sticky wicket," he said. "The risks are too 
great when you allow this type of thing to be done."

School superintendent Brian Hoole will work with RCMP to develop the 
protocol, but reaching agreement may be difficult.

Although police are high on the idea, they probably won't be willing 
to invest time unless they can recommend charges against perpetrators 
- - something that may not sit well with some administrators.

"I believe that we should be advising the school authorities we will 
be obtaining search warrants as required and charging anyone and 
everyone if narcotics are detected by the Police Dog Service," wrote 
Cpl. Curtis Horton, in a RCMP internal-memo. "To do otherwise is to 
send (a) less-than-significant message to the student body that 
narcotics enforcement is not taken seriously."

Even if the local dog team is allowed to search schools and prosecute 
offenders, nobody can say for sure how productive the searches would 
be.

"Unfortunately, to our knowledge, no empirical evidence exists to 
suggest that the use of drug-sniffing dogs is effective against the 
influx of drugs into schools," wrote school liaison Const. Mike 
Field, in a letter to Hoole. "Common sense would dictate that, even 
the most ardent user might think twice about keeping his stash at the 
school knowing the dog might reveal it's location."

If police were to search Cowichan schools, students would likely be 
notified in advance, allowing them time to remove drugs from their 
lockers.

But Gator, a highly-trained police dog, is capable of picking up 
scents that have been lingering for days, meaning police could invest 
hours seeking search warrants and opening lockers only to find the 
perpetrators have removed the contraband.

When police do find drugs they must walk a fine line to ensure they 
don't violate students' Charter rights - legalities the RCMP is 
constantly trying to interpret.

School authorities have the legal right to search lockers without 
police authorization, but when they call police, a warrant must be 
obtained.

If police earch a locker without a warrant, there is danger the 
courts will rule the search illegal.
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MAP posted-by: Josh Sutcliffe