DRUG DOGS DON'T FAZE STUDENTS

In the last few months, contraband-detecting dogs have sniffed out
empty alcohol containers, drug paraphernalia and a used bottle
rocket at Longview campuses, school officials announced this week.

The visits in January and February were the second and third times
the dogs have searched Longview's middle and high schools for drugs,
alcohol and firearms under a new contraband-detection program this
school year.

So far, the dogs haven't uncovered any substantial finds, and
students say there hasn't been much fuss.

"No one's freaking out. You don't see anybody running to their
locker to see if it's gone," said R.A. Long High School senior Chandler Smith.

Last year, the school board approved the program after years of
hand-wringing over constitutional issues. Dogs may search in empty
classrooms, hallways, school grounds and district-owned parking
lots. State law prohibits them from searching people.

In mid-January, the dogs came a two-day visit, which yielded seven
"finds": a beer bottle and five smoking bongs made from soda cans
found on school grounds; and a plastic bottle with alcohol residue
discovered in a restroom trash can.

During a two-day visit in mid-February, the dogs uncovered two
bottles containing alcohol residue, two beer cans and an expended
bottle rocket outside the schools. "That was the pattern, empty
bottles, empty containers that were being found," said Mark Rosin,
the district's deputy superintendent.

The finds, though, weren't connected to any students, Rosin said.

In November, the dogs made their first visit to the campuses and
found only a prescription medication in a student's locker. Although
the program allows for dogs to search in school-owned parking lots,
the district has held off so far, Rosin said.

The program will cost an estimated $25,000 this school year under a
contract with Contraband Detection Canine Services, a Renton-based
company. The district recently announced it has received an $1,800
grant from the city of Longview to help with the canine program.

Students at the district's two high schools say the visits are
typically are low-key.

Senior Annie Forman, R.A. Long's ASB president, said she doesn't
support having drug dogs on campus, but she said the visits do
usually catch students off-guard.

"It's a big deal the day they come and a couple days after that, but
then you know how high school is, they just forget about it," said Forman, 17.

She doubts whether the dogs are deterring students from bringing
banned items. "The people that do bring it to school are more
intelligent than to have it in their lockers, although I don't know
if I should say 'intelligent,' " she said. "They're not going to be
flaunting it around."

BreAnna Wells, the Mark Morris High School ASB president, said she
thinks the contraband program is needed because "in high school,
that's a growing thing that is going on."

Although Wells, a 17-year-old senior, said most students won't carry
contraband to school, "there's that select few that would risk it.
Then there are a lot that do it outside of school."

For R.A. Long senior Amy Higginson, 17, the program's expense is a
little steep, although she said it may be justifiable if the results
were "amazing."

"I don't think drug dogs are a necessity, but I guess anything can help."