Pubdate: Wed, 13 Mar 2002
Source: Eastside Journal (WA)
Copyright: 2000 Horvitz Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.eastsidejournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/985
Author: Nora Doyle
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

'DOLLAR' TO DO DRUG CHECKS AT MERCER ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL

MERCER ISLAND -- A drug-sniffing dog has been assigned to the Mercer Island 
High School parking lot where he'll search for whiffs of illegal narcotics 
in students' cars.

Principal Paul Highsmith said he hasn't had to discipline any students for 
the sale or distribution of drugs on campus, but it's not uncommon to hear 
talk about drug use among students, or that students are getting drugs at 
school.

Highsmith said what he hears "is that drugs are readily available at 
school. They're very good at concealing them."

Since there is a demonstrated need, he added, it seems reasonable for the 
administration to do what it can to try to discourage any drug use or 
possession at school.

Enter "Dollar," a specially trained dog who will make random and 
unannounced visits to the Mercer Island High School parking lot. According 
to police officer Scott Schroeder, the black Labrador retriever can detect 
any type of drug short of a prescription drug. Dollar can sniff a doorknob 
and detect whether a heavy-drug user has touched it, he said.

Dollar belongs to the Eastside Narcotics Task Force, a collection of local 
police officers investigating drug offenses.

Dollar's searches will be limited to the parking lot because that can be 
done without disrupting the school day, Highsmith said. Locker searches 
wouldn't likely be fruitful because there are only about 300 lockers at the 
school, and most students carry their school bags and belongings with them, 
he added.

A statewide survey last year by the Office of Superintendent of Public 
Instruction showed that the amount of drug use by seniors at Mercer Island 
High was significantly higher than the state average. And 51 percent of 
those seniors surveyed said they had used an illegal drug, including 
marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines or Ecstasy.

"If having a dog come into our parking lot helps create a deterrent to kids 
bringing drugs to school, I'm in favor of it," Highsmith said. If a student 
is caught selling or distributing drugs on campus, the consequence is 
immediate expulsion, Highsmith said.

It's not uncommon for high schools to use police dogs, Public Safety 
Department Director Jan Deveny said. Prior searches inside the school 
didn't yield much, he added. Nonetheless, even searches that come up empty 
serve a purpose.

"It's sending a message that we're paying attention," Deveny said.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager