NORTHSIDE STUDENTS DIFFER ABOUT UNDERCOVER COP

'If It Saves One Of Those 50 Kids ... Then It'S Worth It,' One Student Said

Some students feel angry, betrayed and think their privacy has been
invaded.

Some Northside High School students say they felt so betrayed that an
undercover officer posed as a student to catch drug dealers, they're
considering walking out of class later this week in protest.

But others applauded the Roanoke County Police Department for trying
to scare kids out of doing drugs.

"This could be the only wake-up call they ever have," said 17-year-old
Ryan Neely, the senior class president. "This might be what they
needed. I'm saying that as these kids' friends."

The undercover operation, dubbed Operation Babyface by the police
department, was all the buzz Monday at the Roanoke County high school.
Students began learning about the officer who had been in their midst
Friday, after police sat down with faculty members and told all.

For 10 months, Officer K.L. Moulton posed as a 17-year-old junior,
attending classes, doing homework, even going to basketball games. She
did so to learn about the drug trade at the high school and to expose
drug use and dealing.

Police plan today to begin charging current and former students with
selling drugs and conducting sales on school property. Eight students
have been implicated so far, but Sgt. Chuck Mason, supervisor of the
department's vice unit, said more could be named.

The eight students, two of whom are 18, face about 50 criminal charges
ranging from distribution to conspiracy to distribute. Police plan to
seek juvenile petitions against the six underage students and ask for
indictments from a Roanoke County grand jury Friday for the
18-year-olds.

Among the drugs Moulton bought were LSD, marijuana, ecstasy and
OxyContin, a prescription painkiller. But some charges are for selling
imitation drugs. In some cases, police said students ground up aspirin
or ibuprofen and tried to pass it off as stronger drugs.

Students said Monday that they had no idea the girl they had seen in
the hallways was really an undercover cop. Although many said they
agreed with the police, some were downright angry.

"We aren't happy," said senior Randy Sink, 17. "It's a violation of
our privacy. The majority of the students here don't do drugs. Having
the community know about it is going to make them think worse of Northside."

Police say that's not true. Mason said police came away confident that
Northside was a good school, one they'd send their own kids to.
Although Moulton also identified about 50 students who used drugs or
bragged about using, police said it's still a small percentage
compared to the 1,000 who attend the school.

Although those 50 students won't be charged, their names will be
submitted to the schools' Student Assistance Program, which provides
voluntary alcohol and drug abuse counseling for students.

"If it saves one of those 50 kids they put in SAP, then it's worth
it," said Chris Brewer, a 17-year-old senior who agreed with the
police operation.

Moulton, 25, told students she was from Northern Virginia and was
living with her mom, who worked all the time. She sometimes invited
students to her home, and a retired police officer occasionally
masqueraded as her mother.

After the regular school year ended, Moulton went to summer school at
William Byrd High School. Police said they're still investigating some
students Moulton came into contact with there.

Her teachers, meanwhile, had no idea she was a police officer. Algebra
teacher Bruce Spencer said Moulton was quiet and a good student,
getting A's and B's. Only once could he remember seeing her talking to
someone he hoped she wasn't getting involved with.

She got to know some students so well that she was asked out on dates
and even to the prom, which she declined, saying she had a boyfriend.
She made friends and met some of the students' mothers.

"I think the most messed up thing is that she went to someone's house
and ate dinner," said Lauren Reynolds, another 17-year-old senior.

But students interviewed Monday said their parents agreed with the
police operation.

"My dad started laughing," said Fred Hatch, a 17-year-old senior. "He
thought it was about time."

And Deborah Hopson, picking up her 17-year-old son after school, said
she hopes police will send in someone undercover again.

"It's reality - it's here, it's happening," Hopson said of drugs in
schools. "We need to know about these things. As parents, we have to
be concerned at what's going on ... I feel this is a good school, but
if they have found drugs I hope they can nip it in the bud before it
becomes a bigger problem."

Her son, Robert, said that while he's not worried, students are
nervous about having fingers pointed at them.

Sunday, Moulton said she went to Valley View Mall and noticed
teen-agers she recognized pointing at her. Only one boy approached
her.

"He said, 'Man, you had everyone fooled,'" she said. "Then he said,
'You don't have anything on me, do you?' I said, 'No, you're cool.' He
looked so relieved. I hope he's more aware now."

Other students worried about how well new students in the future would
be treated.

"I don't know if anyone's going to trust anyone now," said Lauren
Foutz, 17. "It's going to tear apart the school."

Moulton said she figured some students would feel betrayed. But one of
her goals was to "scare kids straight."

Mich Peters, who teaches health, physical education and driver's
education, hopes that the undercover operation will do just that - and
teach teen-agers that there are consequences to their actions.

"This is another lesson for these kids," she said. "Even the good
kids. If they're going to play with fire, we as teachers and parents
have to fight with fire."

Roanoke County police also plan to seek indictments against five
adults who allegedly supplied the students with drugs off school
property. No teachers were involved, Mason stressed.