DRUG DOGS COST SCHOOLS THOUSANDS

Some Manawatu schools are paying for private dog services to ensure
schools are kept drug-free, at a cost of $1500 a time.

Palmerston North Boys' High School conducts up to seven searches a year.

There is no funding available and the Ministry of Education offers no
guidelines for schools to follow.

Boys' High rector Tim O'Connor said he wrote to the ministry to
request funding, but -was declined.

"I think this is an indictment on the ministry - they don't know
what's happening in the real world," Mr O'Connor said.

"How do they expect us to have a safe and healthy environment for students?

I don't make any apology for taking a hard line. Drugs are not accepted."

AdvertisementAdvertisementStudents found with drugs are stood down.

The education ministry doesn't endorse drug searches in schools,
spokesman Vince Cholewa said.

He advises schools to seek legal advice if they do decide on searches.

Mr Cholewa said only police have a right to search a school if drugs
are suspected.

"Teachers aren't above the law," he said.

"The ministry is not a law-enforcement agency, (therefore) we don't
have guidelines about drug searches."

Random drug searches, despite the name, require much planning, Queen
Elizabeth College acting principal Mary Zambazos said.

"Drug searches are a grey area in schools," she said. "We prefer to
use the police (to search), then all our legal obligations are met."

Students who have been stood down must agree to a drug test before
returning to school, Mrs Zambazos said.

Some city schools employ Auckland-based company Elite Dog Services,
to conduct searches.

Owned by former police officers, the company provides and trains
specialist dogs in a range of areas including drugs, explosives,
firearms, searching and tracking.

Mr O'Connor said using a private company is less alarmist than using
the police.

Once drugs are found and students questioned, schools have a legal
obligation to involve parents or guardians, Freyberg High School
principal Mike McMenamin said.

"Schools have policies in place to deal with these situations and
anyone can ask to see it."

Palmerston North police youth aid officer Sergeant Peter Knight said
police, on average, search a school a month for drugs.

This is at the request of the school.

"We have to have good cause to suspect drugs, then police can enforce
a search under the Misuse of Drugs Act."

However, many searches yield nothing, Sgt Knight said.