Pubdate: Wed, 21 Aug 2002
Source: Janesville Gazette (WI)
Copyright: 2002 Bliss Communications, Inc
Contact: http://www.gazetteextra.com/lettereditor.html
Website: http://www.gazetteextra.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1356
Author:  Carrie Michael, Gazette Staff

JANESVILLE SCHOOL COMMITTEE WEIGHS USING CANINES FOR SEARCHES

Jaxon sniffed out the underlying issues for a Janesville School Board 
committee Tuesday night.

Taped under chairs were baggies and containers of marijuana; GHB, known as 
the date-rape drug; a .40-caliber handgun; dynamite; and C4, a plastic 
explosive.

Janesville high school student groups suggested two years ago that the 
district look into bomb-sniffing and drug-sniffing dogs for school 
searches. District staff have been researching the issue ever since.

Paul Cushing, president of Detector Dogs Against Drugs and Explosives, 
brought Jaxon, a yellow lab, to a Janesville School Board committee 
assessing alcohol, tobacco and other drug addictions among students.

Jaxon sat down when he discovered a container with drugs in it taped under 
someone's chair. Jaxon laid down when he found the dynamite and C4.

Cushing had placed the items around the board room before the meeting.

The yearly cost for random searches and responding to bomb threats would be 
$18,000 to $20,000 for detector dogs, a district memo reads.

Cushing's company is based in Rockford, Ill. Dog handlers could get to 
Janesville in 25 minutes, the memo reads.

Cushing used to have 29 detector dogs. Since Sept. 11, that number has 
grown to a total of 49 dogs, he said.

He has dogs and handlers working full-time in the Sears Tower in Chicago, 
he said.

The company is licensed by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal 
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

The dogs could search parking lots, students' cars, lockers and classrooms, 
the memo said.

Board Member Debra Kolste asked if students who had been in the vicinity of 
illicit drugs would be pinpointed in a search. She said she was concerned 
that students who had no contraband and had done nothing wrong would be 
singled out in a search.

Cushing said the dogs would detect a residual odor on students who had been 
around drugs, so such students would be targeted.

The memo reads that school officials would be free to search targeted 
students. If a drug was found, school officials could seize the drug or 
other contraband, the memo reads.

School administrative staff support using detector dogs, the memo said.

The superintendent's advisory committee will continue to study the issue, 
including how to cover the costs. The advisory board will decide whether 
the project should move forward, the memo reads.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart