WATCHDOG WANTS IMPACT STUDY BEFORE DOGS HIRED

B.C.'s privacy watchdog has asked Surrey school trustees to conduct an
impact assessment before deciding whether to hire a security firm to use
drug-sniffing dogs to randomly search student lockers.

David Loukidelis, information and privacy commissioner, wrote to the school
board Friday reminding trustees that they must comply with B.C.'s Freedom
of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

"Increased surveillance is not always the answer to complex social
problems, and a school district should be able to justify as clearly
necessary any potential invasion of privacy caused by such measures,"
Loukidelis said.

Loukidelis said the board must conduct the assessments to comply with
privacy laws. He said he is also concerned about private firms, which
aren't covered by privacy legislation, having access to students' personal
information.

"If this goes ahead, what controls will the Surrey School District put in
place to guarantee that students' privacy will not be violated?" he said.

Mary Polak, chairwoman of the Surrey board, said the idea has not been
probed yet and trustees are a long way from making any decision.

She said it is "highly unlikely" the random drug searches would begin this
school year.

Dogs are already used several times a year to search lockers in the
Boundary School District in the West Kootenays as well as in some schools
in Alberta and Ontario.