DRUG DOGS BACK IN SCHOOLS

The Abbotsford board of education plans to resume searches by drug
detection dogs this fall, and that has the B.C. Civil Liberties
Association scrutinizing a Supreme Court of Canada ruling.

That decision determined that police cannot use random dog searches
to find drugs at schools or in public places, except airports.

Searches were last in place at Abbotsford middle and high schools in
the 2005-06 school year, on a random basis, but were halted after the
private company contracted for the work had some of its dogs stolen,
said Kevin Godden, acting secretary-treasurer for the school district.

The board voted at its April 20 meeting to have the guidelines and
procedures reviewed for such searches, and to resume drug detection
in September.

The exact form the dog searches will take has yet to be determined.

Godden said legal advice is being obtained on how the Supreme Court
ruling affects the school district.

"We need to conform, to the best of our understanding, with the law,"
he said, adding the district is reviewing tenders from "a couple of
different companies" to find the "most effective and cost-efficient"
approach for sniffer dogs.

He said random searches were done in 2005-06 an average of four to
six times at local schools.

"We made it clear from the beginning that this was meant to be a
deterrent [to bringing drugs to school]," he said.

Micheal Vonn, policy director with the BC Civil Liberties Association
(BCCLA), said the Supreme Court ruling means that random searches are
unconstitutional.

She said searches using dogs can only be conducted when there is
"reasonable suspicion" that a specific student has possession of drugs.

"I'm sorry to say that 'there are drugs in this high school; I just
know it' is not a reasonable suspicion," she said.

Vonn said the BCCLA previously expressed concerns to the school
district about doing random searches. She said the dogs can make
mistakes, causing an innocent student to suffer.

"There are many alternatives to trying to ensure a drug-free
environment in the schools," she said.

The drug dog policy received a mixed response from students outside
Abbotsford Collegiate yesterday.

One group of teens said they didn't want drugs in their school, and
so had no objections to the dogs.

"I like the sound of it. I don't do drugs, so go ahead," said Joe Klassen.

Others were less receptive.

Danny Thandi described the policy as "an invasion of my privacy,"
while Arminder Gill said "it shows us they don't trust us."

"The administration should give us the benefit of the doubt," added
Deven Johal.

Student Sam Mahal was also against the prospect of having drug dogs
in his school.

"They are our lockers and we have the right for them not to be
searched," he said.