LAKE ELSINORE SCHOOL DISTRICT MULLS DRUG-SNIFFING DOGS

LAKE ELSINORE - A school district is considering using drug-sniffing
dogs at its middle and high school campuses, it was reported Sunday.

The Lake Elsinore Unified School District board will decide this week
if it wants to spend $18,000 for drug- and bomb-sniffing dogs, The
Californian reported. That money would pay for 45 random searches
throughout the district's four high schools and four middle schools.

Marijuana has been found on middle and high school campuses this year
and trustees see the searches and dogs as a deterrent.

"Personally, I'm tired of expelling kids for all that foolishness,"
Trustee Sonja Wilson told the newspaper.

The dogs, from Interquest Detection Canines, would not be allowed to
search students or employees but would sniff out cars, student
lockers, backpacks, purses, jackets and other personal items. The
dogs would also be permitted to search other places on campus, the
newspaper said.

If passed, Lake Elsinore Unified would join a growing list of school
districts using the canines, including Murrieta Valley Unified,
Temecula Valley Unified and Perris Union High School.

The school district will discuss the issue at their 6 p.m. Thursday
board meeting at district headquarters, 545 Chaney St.