MANATEE HIGH DRILL RESULTS IN STUDENT ARRESTS

BRADENTON - Four Manatee High School students were arrested on
campus Thursday morning during a drill held to see how teachers and
students would react to a dangerous situation, according to
Principal Jeff Asher.

At least 10 law enforcement vehicles surrounded the school until noon.

The students were arrested on charges of drug possession, and two of
them also face weapon charges, according to School Resource Officer
Sgt. Patrick Proudler.

The students were taken to the Juvenile Detention Center and their
parents were contacted, according to Proudler.

The unannounced drill, which was planned in advance by
administrators, took place with the assistance of Bradenton Police
Department's officers and canine unit, as well as a canine unit of
the Manatee County Sheriff's Office and the Palmetto Police
Department. A gang unit and a narcotics unit was also on hand for
the drill, Proudler said.

The principal said recent violent events at schools around the
country prompted the drill.

"With the heightened awareness and sensitivity to school violence in
the last month we decided to do a mock drill," Asher said. "It was
very realistic and served the purpose of evaluating teachers and
students and how they would handle a crisis situation."

Asher said this was the first time the school, which has 2,240
students, has undergone a drill of this sort since he came on board
four years ago, he said.

But, Jessica Schopfer, a senior at the school, said a similar
incident took place earlier this school year.

"The first time dogs came around and found a bunch of stuff in
cars," Schopfer said. "It's weird, it's like all of sudden they're
starting to care about this kind of stuff."

Schopfer has attended Manatee for her entire high school career and
doesn't think the amount of drugs, weapons or violence among her
classmates has changed over the years, she said.

Asher described the drill as educational.

"With the microcosm of society these days, it's bound to go in
schools," he said. "Students are looking for someone to set
boundaries. They need advice to step forward and set boundaries."

The drill began around 8 a.m. with a "code yellow," at which time
the school was locked down, prohibiting students from leaving their location.

Next, a "code green" went into effect as 10 randomly selected rooms
on campus were evacuated as police officers walked the rooms with K-9s.

Schopfer, who was in an interior design class when the code was
initiated, doesn't remember the word drill being used to describe the event.

"They made an announcement that they were searching cars and that
the dogs were there," Schopfer said.

The K-9s alerted officers to the smell of marijuana in 10 backpacks,
but nothing illegal was found inside them or any classrooms.

"It showed that there has been marijuana usage around them
(backpacks)," Asher said.

During a canvas of nearly 300 cars in the parking lot, the canines
alerted officers to at least 15 vehicles. Three of the vehicles had
drugs, drug paraphernalia and/or knives of the hunting or
combat-style in them, and were impounded. Another student was found
to have drugs in his possession, according to Proudler.

"We're very pleased with the outcome of today's drill, it was
proactive in case anything were to happen," Asher said. "To think we
went through over 250 students, 10 different classrooms, 300 cars
the main thing that the drill practice was as real as possible."