HEAD CALLS IN DOGS OF WAR AGAINST DRUGS

RANDOM searches for drugs by sniffer dogs have been carried out at a
school for the first time in Britain.

Searches of classrooms and changing rooms at Bramhall High School,
Stockport, Greater Manchester, have been conducted on two occasions by
a private security firm. John Peckham, headmaster of the 1,450-pupil
comprehensive, said: "As far as I know we are the only school to do
this. We thought about it long and hard and believe it is the right
thing to do."

During one of the searches a 15-year-old boy was found to have a small
quantity of cannabis and another boy had a trace of the drug in a
cigarette packet. Both were suspended. Mr Peckham said that the school
did not have a particular drug problem but drugs were an issue for all
schools.

He said: "It is a statistical fact that between 10 and 15 per cent of
all children have experimented with illegal drugs by the time they are
16, so the more we can do to tackle the issue the better. Kids do
things that are foolish and we feel that by having these searches we
are providing another weapon in the armouries of those who want to say
No to drugs. If they are offered drugs, this is another reason they
can give for turning them down."

The dog searches are being complemented by education classes for
pupils and awareness sessions for parents. Mr Peckham authorised the
use of the sniffer dogs after consulting parents, governors and staff.

However, Liberty, the civil rights group, believes the searches could
send out "the wrong kinds of message". A spokesman said: "There are
ways of helping young people to kick the habit. The school's approach
is not the answer and we'd expect community relations to suffer as a
result between young people, the police and the school."

Mr Peckham said: "I think our students are probably better judges.
They know this is part of a complex strategy to minimise the harm from
drugs." One parent said: "If it's a choice between having my child's
rights infringed by a dog sniffing her bag or having some idiot trying
to sell her drugs in the playground, I know which I will go for. I
applaud the head's actions."