NO CHARGES YET IN ARHS DRUG RAID

Twenty-Two Students Arrested, Suspended By School Board

AMHERST - It could be several days before police are in a position to
announce what charges will be laid, if any, following a drug raid at
Amherst Regional High School on Friday.

"This is an ongoing investigation and like any investigation a
decision on charges is pending the completion of that investigation.
There haven't been any decisions (on charges) yet," Deputy chief Ian
Naylor of the Amherst Police Department said Monday at a press conference.

On Friday, members of the Cumberland Integrated Street Crime Unit,
made up of members of the Amherst and Springhill police departments
and the Cumberland RCMP, swooped down on Amherst Regional High School
and arrested 22 students for alleged drug use and possession.

Police were acting on a complaint received from the community about
students using drugs on school property. The officers seized a small
amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Also seized was an
unknown quantity of pills.

"We went up there to determine and validate whether there was a
concern. As a result of that surveillance we went to the school board
in regards to what we had," Cumberland RCMP operational NCO Sgt. John
Berry said, adding the board was notified Friday of its actions.
"There was concern with drug use in the parking lot raised and
brought to the attention of the police and we went to validate and
investigate those concerns."

The students were arrested in the school parking lot after the crime
unit conducted several days of surveillance. The students were taken
into a room at the school and searched by police. They were then
turned over to school officials who called their parents.

"The bottom line is this is illegal activity and it was conducted in
an education setting. It's a concern of the public in general, other
students, teachers and the community as a whole," Berry said.

Police hope the drug bust will bring about a behaviour change among
the students involved and send a message out to the others against
using drugs. At the same time, neither Naylor nor Berry were willing
to say there is a drug problem at the school.

"There is drug activity in Amherst and this particular incident is of
concern. What we can do is continue to work toward addressing these
kinds of activities," Naylor said. "It is a problem every community faces."

Officials from the Chignecto-Central Regional School Board were not
present at the press briefing but in a statement issued later said it
is continuing to co-operate with police.

Board communications manager Carolyn Pierce said 22 students had been
suspended from classes as of noon Monday. She said further
suspensions may result as the school completes its review of the situation.

"The school is working closely with the police to find ways to
address these situations in the future. In consultation with the
school administration, the police have stated their intention to
increase presence at the school during transition times, at the start
of school and during lunch," Pierce said.