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.