DRUGS SEIZED, NO CHARGES

Students Chose Suspensions Over Charges

Voluntarily turning over illegal narcotics during a police drug sweep
of a local high school saved seven students from facing criminal
charges.

Police discovered drugs and drug-sale paraphernalia in a sweep of St.
Thomas Aquinas Secondary School in Tottenham last Thursday. No
charges are being laid against the students carrying them because
they turned them over when given a chance at the start of the raid,
before police conducted and intensive search using sniffer dogs.

Members of the Nottawasaga OPP and the Central Region Canine Unit
were called to conduct the sweep due to a number of recent incidents
involving narcotics at the school.

Roughly 50 grams of marijuana was seized, as was drug paraphernalia,
including scales.

One of the students was all set up to sell drugs from the school.

According to police, that particular student hid the narcotics in
books at the back of one of the classrooms.

School principal Ana Prokopich said that during the sweep, police
went into individual classrooms and gave students a chance to
surrender any illegal substances.

Those who stepped forward and voluntarily gave up any drugs or
paraphernalia were told they would be dealt with under the Safe
Schools Act instead of facing possible drug charges under the
Criminal Code of Canada.

"Police presence was used to ensure the safety of all students," said
OPP Const. Melody Tourigny.

The suspensions could range from three to 20 days.

Prokopich said the drug sweeps are simply a way of keeping the school
safe for all students.

"We believe 98 per cent of our students are here to learn and get an
education," she said Tuesday afternoon. "We want to ensure that our
students are in a safe learning environment."

She doesn't believe STA has a drug problem.

"It's no different than any other school," she said.

"We're all aware there could be drugs at any school."