Pubdate: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 Source: El Paso Times (TX) Copyright: 2009 El Paso Times Contact: http://www.elpasotimes.com/formnewsroom Website: http://www.elpasotimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/829 Author: Zahira Torres Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?237 (Drug Dogs) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) YISD OKS DRUG-SNIFFING DOGS ON ITS CAMPUSES EL PASO - Ysleta Independent School District trustees on Wednesday approved the use of drug-sniffing dogs at middle school and high school campuses as a way to deal with the escalating drug war in Juarez. Officials said the drug war has forced drug cartels to recruit students from El Paso schools to get drugs moved in the U.S. "They used to do it a lot at the Juarez nightclubs but because a lot of people are not going to Juarez anymore, they have focused a lot of attention in our schools," County Attorney Jose Rodriguez said. The district will pay a private company $7,200 to perform unannounced visits to campuses as early as this school year. J.R. Martinez, the chief of security for Ysleta, said the district is trying to be proactive in confronting the situation in Juarez. "Our vigilance has increased, our security measures have been heightened, our training has been modified," Martinez said. "All those things are a result of what's going on in Juarez." Rodriguez said that when school districts in El Paso employ tougher drug prevention policies, they help curb the consumption and traffic of drugs. Last year, a Horizon High School graduate and a student pleaded guilty to recruiting students in a marijuana smuggling ring that transported drugs between Juarez and Oklahoma City. The smuggling ring involved about 15 current and former students with ties to the school in 2007. Trustee Liza Montelongo said that the growing drug violence in Juarez is not the reason she voted to bring drug-sniffing dogs to the campuses. The district in recent years has lost focus on drug-free programs and board members are looking to increase efforts to keep children safe, Montelongo said. "We are at a time where we need to do a little more to address any drug issues that might be in our campuses," she said. Montelongo, however, said that the district has taken several steps to deal with the violence across the border. She said the board requested extra security for schools along the border and asked administrators to seek funding from the Department of Homeland Security for security cameras at those campuses. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom