DOG MAY HELP SNIFF OUT DRUGS AT NEWTOWN SCHOOL

NEWTOWN - In an attempt to stop drug use at Newtown High School, the
Board of Education is considering bringing a drug-sniffing dog into
the school.

Whether Barro, the Newtown Police Department's K-9 unit dog, will have
a presence at the high school starting this fall will be discussed at
the school board's meeting tonight at 7 in the library of Reed
Intermediate School.

"We believe there are drug issues at every high school in the
country," said Evan Pitkoff, superintendent of schools. "Bringing a
sniffer dog into the high school would not be a panacea, it would be a
tool, an additional resource to alleviate substance abuse by our students."

If the school board approves, Barro will be brought in at intervals to
sniff lockers for drugs. Pitkoff sees the dog possibly being used in
the parking lot at the school to sniff cars as well.

"Lockers are school property," Pitkoff said. "If we suspect there is
contraband in one, we can open a locker. If the dog identified a
specific locker, that would be enough for us to enter the locker. Then
we could have a discussion with the student whose locker it was."

Some 18 months ago, the policy on addressing drug use or possession in
Newtown schools was changed to include two steps.

The first time a student is found under the influence or in possession
of drugs, he or she is suspended with a recommendation to get
professional help in dealing with the drug problem. The second time,
the student is brought before the Board of Education for an expulsion
hearing.

"We're trying to help the student get a handle on his or her drug
problem early and deal with it," Pitkoff explained.

Barro's presence in the school would work in unison with the
policy.

Newtown Police Chief Michael Kehoe said Wednesday that his department
is all for Barro helping out the school, provided no privacy or
Constitutional issues that prove an obstacle.

"We've had some discussions on and off over the last two months about
this, informally," Kehoe said of himself and Pitkoff. "The department
has always stated that it would assist the Board of Education in
whatever it wanted to do" regarding drug use in the schools.

Kehoe believes tonight's discussion will be a good way to explore
issues that might stand in the way of taking Barro into the high school.

Dorrie Carolan, who serves on the board of directors of the Newtown
Parents Connection, hopes parents will turn out for the school board
meeting tonight.

"We are in support of it," Carolan said. "We're opening to listening
to the legal ramifications. We feel students shouldn't have to worry
about drug dealing going on in their school."