Pubdate: Thu, 17 Aug 2006
Source: Daily Herald (GA)
Copyright: 2006. The Henry Herald
Contact:  http://www.henryherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3543
Author: Johnny Jackson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

CANINES USED TO DETER CONTRABAND IN SCHOOLS

A 15-year-old sophomore at Ola High  School, had his
first encounter with illegal drugs when  he was 13 years old. Then a
Clayton County middle  schooler, he said he declined offers from the
19- and  20-year-olds in his neighborhood to use drugs.

He and others he knows have had similar  experiences, even
in school.

In the last couple of years both Henry and Clayton  county school
systems have implemented programs in  their high schools to decrease
experiences like  his.

Henry County Schools has contracted with contraband  detection and
drug dog services provider, Interquest  Detection Canines, to help
deter illegal activities in  schools.

Interquest was first contracted by Henry County Schools  three years
ago to implement a $25,200 substance abuse  prevention program in
which canine trainer Ashley  Marratt and her drug-detection dogs would
conduct  random, unannounced searches at Henry's high schools.

Marratt, who is also the president of Interquest  Detection Canines of
Georgia, said that her dogs are  trained to detect four types of
contraband: guns and  ammunition, alcoholic beverages, prescription
and  over-the-counter medication, and illegal drugs.

Throughout the week, Marratt has conducted  demonstrations at each of
Henry County's high schools.

She was aided by her 60-pound white and chocolate  English Springer
Spaniel named Jordy, who quickly  steals Marratt's spotlight as he
demonstrates how he  goes about sniffing for contraband.

"Jordy is the reason to say no," Marratt said as she  spoke to the new
freshman class at Ola High on  Wednesday, the first time the students
have ever been  introduced to the program.

The program serves schools across the country and has  about 120
working dogs who look more like house pets  than drug dogs.

The dogs still are capable of finding contraband,  according to
Marratt, who added that her dogs tend to  make students much more
comfortable than drug dogs  traditionally used in law
enforcement.

"When we come to your school we don't want you to be  intimidated,"
she said. "My job is to help you make a  better decision when you come
to school."

Last year, a total of 256 alerts were made in the 142  visits to the
county's seven high schools -- six alerts  for illicit drugs, 15 for
alcohol, 15 for gunpowder, 62  for medication, 76 for residual odors
and 72 unknown  scents.

"Although each alert does not necessarily mean a  student is in
possession of something prohibited at  school, many of the alerts
helped to substantiate  charges against students and helped to
successfully  prosecute the misbehavior," said Preston Malcom, the
assistant superintendent of administrative services.

Ola teacher Melodie Thurston, formerly of Eagle's  Landing High
School, said she believes the program has  been a deterrent for
students who might otherwise bring  contraband to school.

"I think it's a good idea to have them in the schools,"  Thurston
said. "There is the drug issue out there and  this program keeps the
students from bringing it into  our schools."

She said that teachers and administrators are not  immune to the
program's random searches but that she  too is included in the
classroom and parking lot  searches by virtue of being at the school.

"It's a very non-invasive program," Thurston said. "The  kids know
that he's here and that they shouldn't try it  -- it's to make them
think before they act."

She added that the program helps make her job a little  easier.

At least, the program could make Henry County Sheriff's  Deputy Cindy
Hogeland's job little easier. Hogeland is  the school resource officer
at Ola.

"(But) hopefully, we won't have the problem period, and  we won't need
the dog," she said.
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MAP posted-by: Derek