DOGS SNIFF OUT DRUGS AT LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL

PARRY SOUND - Students were a little jolted on the afternoon of February 24
when it was announced that they were on lock-down inside their classrooms
while the police canine dog unit searched Parry Sound High School.

The search was done in accordance with the Safe Schools Act and an
agreement between the Near North District School Board and the West Parry
Sound OPP.

"It's a planned operation, but it's not a fishing expedition. It happens
when we have reason to believe that there are areas that need to searched,"
said PSHS principal Shahina Butt. "There's always a lock-down and that's
part of our emergency response plan. When we have these operations there is
a lock-down because we don't want the students to see the dogs. We don't
want obstruction in the halls, etc.,etc."

Ms Butt said the searches are planned weeks in advance. In order to call in
the canine unit she said she needed "credible information" that there were
drugs in the school.

"We want to safeguard everything, our kids too," she said. "We don't want
the kids in the hall to distract the dogs from doing their job. There were
certain classrooms that were searched and the kids were asked to leave the
room and their stuff was left in the classroom, and the dog works the room."

Based on the search, a small amount of marijuana was confiscated, but the
police made no arrests.

Ms Butt refused to say whether any students were suspended.

"When the need arises there will be another search," she said. "If there's
a need to bring the dog in, I'll bring the dog in."