Pubdate: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON) Copyright: 2007 The Ottawa Citizen Contact: http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326 Author: William Lin, Ottawa Citizen GATINEAU SCHOOLS ASKED POLICE TO DEAL WITH DRUGS, PRINCIPAL SAYS Officers Have Arrested Dozens Since Mid-March The arrests of nearly 40 people, most of them students, in a series of drug raids at Gatineau high schools in the past month were in response to school and community requests for help in dealing with drug use in schools, according to police and a principal who asked for the force's help. On March 15, five students at Ecole secondaire du Versant were arrested and charged for using marijuana, while another student was arrested for selling cigarettes. About a week later, police arrested 14 teenagers during the lunch hour near Polyvalente Nicolas-Gatineau and charged them with drug-related offences. This month, police arrested three students during lunchtime near Philemon Wright High School and charged them with drug-related offences. And last Thursday police made more drug-related arrests near a Gatineau high school, Ecole secondaire Mont-Bleu, during lunch. Other schools targeted by police were Ecole secondaire Le Carrefour and Ecole secondaire de l'Ile. Terry Kharyati, Philemon Wright's principal, said he had expressed concerns to Gatineau police about student drug use and asked for their help in dealing with the issue. "We worked very close with them," Mr. Kharyati said. Brock Sullivan, a 17-year-old Philemon Wright student, said that although he smokes marijuana, he applauds the principal's determination to drive marijuana use from school. "Mr. K's really cleaning it up," Brock said, adding the principal gave a tough opening speech to students at the school, warning that drug use would not be tolerated. "It's keeping it out of the hands of little kids." - --- MAP posted-by: Steve Heath