COUNTY SHERIFF CRACKS DOWN ON DRUGS IN SCHOOL

Anti-drug signs, reward posters and random drug dog searches all
could be part of the 2006-07 school year.

The Hall County Sheriff's Office plans to step up efforts to crack
down on drugs and gang activity at area schools.

Sheriff Steve Cronic announced the plans at a forum Tuesday morning
for "improving learning environments" at area schools.

"I'm excited about ... increasing involvement with the school system
and the school board," he said.

The event, which took place at the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce,
drew school and county government officials, law enforcement and
other community and business leaders.

Cronic unveiled a poster declaring that the sheriff's office and the
school system will pay a reward to anyone who provides information
that leads to the arrest and conviction of anyone violating the
state's drug laws.

He also displayed a sign that will be placed at the entrance of each
school that says Hall County has zero tolerance for drugs, weapons,
alcohol or gangs in schools.

The sheriff's office has added two new drug dogs, paid for by Turbo
Logistics, that will be stationed at East Hall and North Hall high
schools only because that's the home turf of the deputies assigned
as their handlers.

The handlers and their dogs are completing a four-week training
session, and will be ready by the start of school on Aug. 4.

The sheriff's office plans to conduct random drug searches using the
drug dogs.

Will Schofield, superintendent of the Hall school system, said that
schools have been given notice that the drug dogs and handlers can
"show up at any school at any time and they better be given the red
carpet treatment."

He said the frustration with drug searches in the past has been that
people have used cell phones "to tip off people who have drugs when
the drug dogs have come in the school."

"Kids have slipped out the door and the drugs are in the woods
somewhere," Schofield said.

The group also discussed a number of drug and gang awareness
programs conducted in the schools. Gordon Higgins, spokesman for the
Hall system, talked about random drug tests that the district's
athletes must submit to.

As the meeting wrapped up, Schofield pushed for forum participants
to work actively on the problem of drugs and gangs in schools.

He also suggested that the group meet again at some point, "so we
can into some more specifics."