Pubdate: Tue, 25 Oct 2005
Source: Johnson City Press (TN)
Copyright: 2005 Johnson City Press
Contact:  http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1983
Author: John Thompson, Elizabethton Bureau Chief

CARTER SCHOOL OFFICIALS HOPE TIP LINES WILL HELP CURTAIL ILLEGAL DRUG ACTIVITY

ELIZABETHTON - High schoolers love to talk on the phone. That fact is
one of the reasons why Carter County school officials think their
newest tool to keep drugs out of schools will be effective.

Secure telephones have been installed in the school resource officer's
room at each of the four county high schools. Students or other
members of the community may use the phones to leave anonymous tips
about illegal activity involving the schools.

"They can use it to tell us about any concerns about school safety,"
Happy Valley School Resource Officer Ken Dugger said. Only the school
resource officer, the principal and the assistant principal will have
the access code to retrieve the messages.

"We think it will be a big help for the school," Dugger said. "We
won't take what we get on the phone as gospel, but it will give us
something to investigate."

"We are looking for ways to be proactive in using preventive
measures," Director of Schools Dallas Williams said. "We want this
Drug Free Tip Line to be available for anyone to use - students,
parents, members of the community, anyone can call in."

Happy Valley High School Principal Dale Campbell said the line will
serve an additional purpose at his school. This year there is a major
emphasis in all the schools on family engagement, and he said the line
is also being used as a way for suggestions to be called in on ways to
improve the school.

The Happy Valley version of the tip line has been named the Warrior
Tip Line. Campbell said information about the phone will be posted
throughout the school, along with the number.

Campbell repeated Dugger's assertion that the tips "will not be taken
as gospel."

"We never take one student's word over another," Campbell said. "Sgt.
Dugger is very good in his investigations."

The Happy Valley number is 542-3491, the Unaka number is 474-3499,
Hampton's number is 725-3498 and Cloudland's is 772-3781. The phones
are scheduled to be activated on Monday. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake