RCMP MOVING IN TO FIGHT SCHOOL'S DRUG PROBLEM

CHESTER GRANT - Chester RCMP are opening an office at Forest Heights
Community School after hearing reports that a few students are
trafficking marijuana.

"There are certain individuals in that school we have information on
who are trafficking in that drug," community policing officer Const.
Adree Zahara told residents at a community information meeting in New
Ross on Wednesday evening.

She said the kids are students at the high school but are not doing
well academically or contributing to the school.

"They're just there to traffic drugs," Const. Zahara
said.

The issue came up after a couple of area residents said they had heard
about fighting and drug use at Forest Heights.

"It's becoming very violent, as a matter of fact," Const. Zahara said
- - an issue she said she discussed with principal Marla Rafuse just
last week.

Provincial RCMP spokesman Const. Gary Smith said putting an office in
a school isn't an unusual step to take when there are problems. He
said he knows of at least two other high schools in the province that
already have this type of supervision.

"I think we have them in Millwood High School in Sackville and I
actually had one designed in Horton High School (in Greenwich) myself."

But some people, especially students, don't feel the step is
necessary.

"I don't think (drug use) is a big issue here," said Grade 10 student
Sara MacLean. "It's not like it's everyone."

Classmate Sammi Adams agreed.

"I mean, you hear about it, but it's just a small group," she
said.

Several students in grades 10 and 11 who had just finished writing
exams Thursday afternoon said marijuana use is not widespread at
Forest Heights and some were surprised to learn a few students are
suspected of selling the drug.

"I would be naive to say we don't have any," the principal said.
"Drugs are in our school, as in society they are a problem. We
struggle with this as does any high school in the area."

Ms. Rafuse said Forest Heights has handed out five one-day suspensions
this term for drug use at the school.

"We deal with it and when we are aware of it we do take it on," she
said. "Staff are very aware, we do not close our eyes to this."

Sgt. Larry Kavanagh, in charge of Chester RCMP, said the presence of
an officer in the school should go a long way toward solving the drug
problem.

The detachment has had a school liaison officer for some time. The
officer chats with kids through formal education programs, drops by
sporting events and talks with teens at lunchtime.

But this office will give police a stronger presence.

"We will have a room to hang our shingle on," Sgt. Kavanagh
said.

It will open in four to six weeks, he said, and give students a chance
to get to know police officers.

"They'll roam the halls, talk with the kids smoking out back, build a
bond, a rapport," he said.

Sgt. Kavanagh hopes students will come to realize police aren't around
only when there is a problem and that they can be trusted.

He stressed drugs are not a serious problem at Forest
Heights.

"We didn't want to paint a picture that drugs are rampant or prevalent
at the school," he said. "But we do know they're there, the teachers
know they're there, and the community and parents know they're there,
and we're going to jump on it now."

The problem includes unemployed young people who are not students but
hang out around the parking lot, he said.

Sgt. Kavanagh said he does not believe the number or intensity of
fights is increasing but he said kids will steal from each other to
get drug money. The pilfered items include MP3 players and jackets.

Const. Scott Morrison works out of the RCMP's community office in New
Ross.

"Drugs are present in the community but they're not rampant," he told
residents at the town hall meeting. "It's not every day that crimes
are being committed as a result of drugs, but there are crimes being
committed as a result of drugs."

The New Ross area has a particular problem with marijuana-growing
operations in woodlots, Const. Morrison said. He cautioned landowners
to check their property regularly. Some woodlot owners may have no
idea their land is being used to grow marijuana, he said.

Const. Morrison said big growing operations are less common because a
helicopter can detect them from overhead. Rather, growers tend to
clump plants in groups of about 10 and scatter these groupings among
the trees.

"Marijuana is the most common drug being used in the New Ross area,"
he said. "It is not the only drug, but it is the most common."

There is no problem with the use of crack or hallucinogens or the
misuse of prescription drugs, though Const. Morrison said there is a
small number of cocaine users.

"But we're trying to get a handle on that before it expands," he
said.

Const. Morrison said cocaine is more of an issue with teens in the
Chester area.

"At Forest Heights, marijuana is still the drug of choice," he said.