Pubdate: Sun, 06 Aug 2006
Source: Hattiesburg American (MS)
Copyright: 2006 Hattiesburg American
Contact:  http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1646
Author: Natasha Smith
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

GROWTH PROMPTS LAMAR PUBLIC SCHOOLS' NEED FOR DRUG DOG

Oak Grove parent Lillian Flynt isn't fearful of her  daughter
attending first grade at a school with a drug  dog - she is more
fearful of a school that doesn't have  a dog.

"If it keeps bad influences away from my daughter, I'm  all for it,"
Flynt said.

Lamar County public schools will have its first drug  dog this fall,
while Petal public schools will continue  its existing drug dog
program. In Petal, the dogs are  available to search for drugs and
serve as an aid in  teaching children about crime prevention.

Lamar County School Board President Joel Dunagin said  the school
board's decision to have a drug dog was  based on growth in the
county. In fall 2007, the school  district is expected to grow from 12
campuses to 15  campuses with the opening of three new schools.

"We had to rely on Lamar County's drug dogs and the  availability of
those drug dogs is not as much as we  would have wanted," Dunagin
said, adding Lamar County's  drug dogs were often working sheriff's
department  cases.

Sadea, a German shepherd, joined the Lamar County  public schools
eight-member police department in June.  The dog was donated to the
Lamar County Education  Foundation by local business owners and
individuals,  Dunagin said.

In Petal, the city's public school district recently  bought a new
drug dog. Maggie, a black Labrador,  arrived at the Petal school
system in May.

Petal schools Police Chief Kim Hartfield said that  Maggie is the
school district's second drug dog.  Hartfield said a typical drug dog
costs between $5,000  and $10,000.

Hartfield said his experiences with drug dogs in the  schools have
been positive with the children receiving  them well.

While both dogs received the same narcotics  certification as police
dogs, Hartfield said they have  been trained to handle a school
setting - which the  chief said can often prove a more challenging
task for  a drug dog than a vehicle or person.

"There are so many more distractions in a school,"  Hartfield said.
"There are so many more people around."

For middle schools and high schools, the dogs will  perform searches
when needed. In the elementary  schools, the dogs will participate in
drug education  and drug prevention programs.

"I've been here 12 years and I've never caught a kid in  elementary
school with narcotics," Hartfield said.
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MAP posted-by: Derek