SCHOOL CONSIDERS DRUG DOG SEARCHES

HUDSON - Superintendent Randy Bell is drafting a policy that would
allow the police drug-sniffing dog to be used at Alvirne High School,
he said.

The issue has come up before but was revisited at a school board
meeting last week, Bell said. The discussion came two weeks after The
Telegraph published an article detailing the concerns of a parent who
believes the school has a drug problem and wants the dog to be allowed
inside for random searches.

According to board member David Bouchard, police have offered to make
the dog available in the past for school searches, but high school
administrators haven't taken advantage until now.

"Like everything else, once a parent makes noise, it gets dealt with,"
said Bouchard, who supports the drug dog being used to search Alvirne
and doesn't think a formal policy is necessary to allow it.

"Why do we need a policy in regards to a dog that's going to be a drug
deterrent?" Bouchard said. "Why can't the dog just walk through the
hallways during business hours . . . as an employee or member of the
public could?"

Bell, who described the policy as one that would outline "a variety of
approaches to dealing with drugs," doesn't believe Alvirne has a
serious drug problem, he said.

"I don't think there is any school with 1,500 youngsters that doesn't
have some problem with drugs," Bell said. "I don't think we're outside
the norm."

Principal Bryan Lane didn't return a phone call Friday seeking
comment.

Police Chief Richard Gendron said the department's dog has
participated in drug searches at schools in other communities, but not
at Alvirne. Police wouldn't conduct a search without being asked by
administrators, but, "We've always made the dog available as a
resource to the school," Gendron said.

After the meeting last week, board members asked the superintendent to
draft a policy that would permit the dog to come to Alvirne. Bouchard
would like quarterly, surprise walkthroughs to be part of the normal
drug-prevention activities, he said.

However, Gendron stressed police need a specific reason to search the
school; they aren't going to just walk in and search student lockers
at random, he said.

"We're not going to violate their rights," Gendron said. "We cannot
line up everybody in the school gym and tell them to empty their pockets."

Valid reasons include a teacher smelling marijuana or suspecting that
a student is under the influence, but it would be up to school
administrators to decide if they want police to bring the dog, Gendron
said.

Joann Auclair, the Hudson parent who submitted a letter to The
Telegraph's editor expressing concern about drug use at Alvirne,
favors random drug searches. Auclair's teenage son told her drugs are
readily available for sale at Alvirne after she discovered drugs in
his room, she said.youngsters that doesn't have some problem with
drugs," Bell said. "I don't think we're outside the norm."

Principal Bryan Lane didn't return a phone call Friday seeking
comment.

Police Chief Richard Gendron said the department's dog has
participated in drug searches at schools in other communities, but not
at Alvirne. Police wouldn't conduct a search without being asked by
administrators, but, "We've always made the dog available as a
resource to the school," Gendron said.

After the meeting last week, board members asked the superintendent to
draft a policy that would permit the dog to come to Alvirne. Bouchard
would like quarterly, surprise walkthroughs to be part of the normal
drug-prevention activities, he said.

However, Gendron stressed police need a specific reason to search the
school; they aren't going to just walk in and search student lockers
at random, he said.

"We're not going to violate their rights," Gendron said. "We cannot
line up everybody in the school gym and tell them to empty their pockets."

Valid reasons include a teacher smelling marijuana or suspecting that
a student is under the influence, but it would be up to school
administrators to decide if they want police to bring the dog, Gendron
said.

Joann Auclair, the Hudson parent who submitted a letter to The
Telegraph's editor expressing concern about drug use at Alvirne,
favors random drug searches. Auclair's teenage son told her drugs are
readily available for sale at Alvirne after she discovered drugs in
his room, she said.

Despite the policy talk, Auclair isn't confident that the drug dog
will actually be used at Alvirne next year, she said.

"I think they're discussing it only because the spotlight was put on
them," she said.

Auclair wasn't at the meeting last week because she didn't know about
it, she said. A meeting announcement wasn't posted on the town or
school district Web site, as is customary, and The Telegraph didn't
receive its usual meeting notice.

Bouchard said he wished Auclair had contacted board members about her
concerns before writing the letter to the editor - the board could
have done something to help, he said.

"The board members are very much open to parents coming directly to
them," said Bouchard, who noted their home phone numbers are posted on
the school district Web site.

Gendron also said he would like to hear from any parent who has reason
to believe drug activity is going on in Hudson schools. He isn't sure
if there's a drug problem at Alvirne because parents aren't coming to
the department with those concerns.

"I would encourage parents, if they believe their child is using or
purchasing drugs on school property, to contact us," Gendron said.
"Any information would be kept strictly confidential."

It's unclear when the drug dog issue will resurface in public, but it
won't be at the school board meeting Monday. It makes sense to adopt a
policy before the school year starts, but the draft isn't yet
complete, Bell said.

"I don't view this as being an emergency situation," he said. "This is
an issue we're reviewing."