VISTA SCHOOLS TO USE DOGS TO FIND DRUGS

Taking A Sniff Out Of Crime

VISTA -- Concerned about student drug use, Vista school officials plan to
turn to man's best friend for help.

The canines would randomly visit campuses, sniffing classrooms, backpacks
and other student possessions for contraband. The school board will vote
today on whether to use the dogs.

School board President David Hubbard is lukewarm about the prospect of drug
detectives of the four-legged variety, but he's willing to give it a try.

"I'm not comfortable with it by any means," he said. "But to protect the
student body, you sometimes have to be kind of intrusive with privacy
rights -- and I want to get the drug problem out of our schools."

The searches would be unobtrusive and random, and would take place only at
the middle and high schools, Hubbard said.

"And if we don't like it, we'll send the dogs home," he said.

Drug-sniffing dogs have become a fixture at many public schools nationwide
as districts look for additional ways to deter the use of illegal substances.

Similar programs started in other county districts have been hailed as a
success, including those of Oceanside, Poway, Grossmont in El Cajon and San
Dieguito in Encinitas.

Joe Graybeal, associate superintendent for the Oceanside Unified School
District, said the principals are the only ones who know when the dogs will
visit.

"So it really is unannounced," he said. "To my knowledge I know of no
discovery of drugs through dogs this year, which for us means it's been
positive."

Pete McHugh, associate superintendent of the 24,000-student Vista Unified
School District, said the use of the dogs could cost $15,000 annually.

Interquest Detection Canines of San Diego will bring in golden retrievers
that are trained to refrain from sniffing students. The dogs also wait for
the students to leave the classrooms before beginning their search.

The dogs could arrive this fall. But before they enter the classrooms,
notices would be sent home to parents, and school assemblies would show
students how the program works.

"There's no hidden agenda," McHugh said. "This isn't a 'gotcha'-type thing.
The goal is not to catch kids, but to give them another reason to say no --
to not bring the material on campus."

Other safety measures that have been added during the past year include an
extra police officer, more campus security, increased drug-intervention
counseling and conflict-resolution training for students and staff.