'DRUG SNIFF' TURNS UP LITTLE AT JOHN MARSHALL

MOUNDSVILLE - Around 25 law enforcement officers from five agencies and six
K-9 units turned up little during a "drug sniff" operation at John Marshall
High School on Tuesday morning. First Sgt. Scot Goodnight of the West
Virginia State Police Moundsville detachment said it has been a couple of
years since a spot-check of the high school was completed. A small amount
of an illegal controlled substance was found Tuesday in a vehicle in the
school parking lot, Goodnight said.

"Marshall County has always been very pro-law enforcement and pro-schools,"
Goodnight said. "It shows that the Marshall County education system is very
committed to make their schools safe."

The Marshall County Sheriff's Department, St. Mary's Correctional Facility
and the Sistersville and Glen Dale police departments also were involved in
the search.

Goodnight said the search was coordinated between the agencies and school
officials.

The search began at 8:45 a.m. following an announcement by the school's
principal, David Takach.

"The principal makes an announcement that students will stay in their
homerooms," Goodnight said, adding that students are assured they are "not
in any danger" and there is "no cause for alarm."

Other than the small amount of drugs found in the unspecified vehicle,
Goodnight said the search was relatively uneventful, consisted mostly of
searching the parking lot and ended at 11:30 a.m.

"We had some indication (from the dogs) inside on some lockers with
negative results," Goodnight said. "Once the lockers were looked at by
school personnel, it was negative."

The dogs also "indicated" on some vehicles in the lot, but nothing else was
found.

"Everything went very well," Goodnight said. "The administration at the
school was cooperative, as were the students. ... Our goal is to find nothing."

The sheriff's department and State Police are still working on the
investigation into the small find.

"We don't know which route we're going to go," Goodnight said.