SCHOOL SURVEILLANCE NETS DRUGS IN SAANICH

Project Scholar Yields Suspensions, Some Face Charge of Trafficking

Some Saanich students have learned the hard way that drugs and schools
don't mix.

During a two-week surveillance program at 12 schools, Saanich police caught
109 people with drugs or drug paraphernalia, Insp. John Charlton said
Tuesday. Most were youths, 17 years or younger. Ten per cent were adults,
18 to 20 years. About 25 per cent were not students.

Three people were charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Six charges of possession of a controlled substance are pending.

Instead of being charged, students were brought to school offices by police
to discuss their activities. Some students were suspended. Others who
attend senior secondary schools will not be able to attend their grad
night, said Charlton. All must participate in drug education.

Project Scholar, as the police action was dubbed, targeted students at
Reynolds secondary, Mount Douglas secondary, Lansdowne junior high, Arbutus
junior high, Lambrick Park secondary, Cedar Hill junior high, Colquitz
junior high, Spectrum Community, Pacific Christian, St. Andrews, Claremont
secondary and Royal Oak middle school. The surveillance period ran from May
13 to 24.

John Gaiptman, assistant superintendent for Greater Victoria School
District 61, said schools have a discipline policy of suspending students
for drug use at school or around the grounds during school time. A
first-time offence can range from an in-school suspension to a five-day
suspension depending on what the student is caught with and whether they
distribute drugs to their friends.

Gaiptman said he did not know of any student who has been prevented from
attending their grad night, but said he would look into it.

"Schools and drugs don't mix," said Gaiptman. "We want to send out a
message to say school and school hours are not the place to be involved
with drugs. Students can expect there will be consequences of their actions
should they choose to bring drugs to school."

Kevin Elder, superintendent of Saanich School District 63, said schools are
intolerant of any drug use.

Students involved with drugs are usually suspended.

"What is most important is the followup that occurs in support of the
student in partnership with the school, family, community agencies and the
police. We see it as an illegal and an unhealthy behaviour. And we're in a
unique position in schools of being able to influence behaviours and
support healthy decisions."

During Project Scholar, police investigated four criminal code breaches,
five offences of the motor vehicle act and nine liquor control offences.
One adult was charged for selling liquor to minors.

Marijuana is the drug of choice and lunch hour is the time to smoke it,
Saanich police discovered.

Police caught four people with ecstasy. They did not find any students
using cocaine or heroin.

Officers set up surveillance before school, during lunch breaks and after
school.

Only 12 people were found with drugs before school, compared with 86 found
with drugs during the lunch hour. Eleven students were caught with drugs
after school.

Although no drug transactions were witnessed on school grounds, Charlton
said it's safe to assume some of the drugs were obtained during school.
Most students left school property to take their drugs.

Drugs weren't found at all the schools that were targeted, said Charlton.
The heaviest drug use was found in Colquitz Park which is usually
frequented by students from Colquitz junior high and Spectrum.

However, the amount of time police spent at schools varied. Police targeted
areas, not individuals, said Charlton.

He acknowledged the percentage of students caught using drugs during
Project Scholar is small, but he believes the problem among Saanich's 6,000
high school students is much more universal.

Saanich police will continue to do intermittent enforcement and school
liaison officers will continue to lecture in high schools about the dangers
of drugs and how they can affect a person's life.

Drug use in the schools seems to be inevitable, Charlton said.

"All we can hope to do is minimize it," said Charlton.