DRUG DOG EDUCATES

The jury is in - roughly 95% of my readers say they've got no problem with
a drug dog being deployed in Edmonton's senior and junior high schools.
That's evident from the flood of e-mails I received from people who
disagree with my views that type of a program could be an invasion of
privacy in a free society.

I still have concerns about the Dogs for Drug Free Schools program that's a
co-operative effort between Catholic and public schools and the Edmonton
Police Service.

Drugs are a problem in schools but I don't agree with bringing in a dog
that has the ability to sniff random rows of lockers.

To me, police should have to have probable cause before launching any search.

Otherwise we're headed for a Communist-style, police-state society where
authorities have sweeping powers to randomly search your vehicle, office
and home.

Several readers have even told me they'd gladly give police powers to stop
and search any and all private vehicles on a whim. Scary views, I think.
But I admit some people make some strong arguments why they're not all that
alarmed about the drug-dog program involving EPS Const. Doug Green and his
Labrador, Ebony. The duo's based at Harry Ainlay high school and is
available to appear at other schools at the request of principals.

Some people argue it's OK to lose privacy if it means weeding out
methamphetamine-peddling dealers from a school.

Others rightly point out Canada's Supreme Court has already given schools
sweeping powers of search and seizure, so a drug dog might be a moot point.

Perhaps the one reader who makes the most passionate defence of the program
is none other than Const. Green himself.

He thinks people who fret about invasion of privacy have nothing to worry
about because the drug-dog program is primarily educational.

While he admits Ebony is quite capable of doing a random drug-sniffing tour
through a high school, Green says that would be time-consuming and impractical.

"Ebony can't just walk down the hall and sniff the air," he says. "She has
to literally go up to an individual locker and sniff.

"With high schools that have 2,000 lockers, that's simply not practical,
nor is it the intention of the program."

The intention, according to Green, is largely aimed at education and
prevention of drug use at school.

"I tell kids I can't stop them from recreational use of drugs. But the
message is, 'Please don't bring those drugs to school.' "

To hammer home that message Green, at the request of principals, takes
Ebony to various schools for presentations.

He hides drugs such as crystal meth in backpacks, CD cases and calculators
and shows how the pooch sniffs out the contraband.

Is it like a Fear Factor show to scare kids?

"I don't like the term fear. It's a deterrence thing. The message is, 'We
can find drugs. Let's hope we don't have to do that.' "

While school brass are loath to admit there's a drug problem at our
learning institutions, Green is more forthcoming. He says, given that young
people are more likely to experiment with drugs, schools are a prime market
for dealers. He's very worried about the use of potentially deadly drugs
such as crystal meth and ecstasy.

"You and I were both brought up at a time when cops would go to schools and
tell us marijuana would kill us. We know that wasn't true.

"I'm not interested in busting kids for smoking pot. But with drugs like
methamphetamines, that is true. It kills you," he says of the highly
addictive drug.

The drug-dog program, says Green, is aimed at prevention rather than lying
in wait to sting kids for drug possession.

He admits there's a drug problem in local schools but the extent of meth
use here still lags behind its use in smaller centres.

"Edson has a horrible problem, as does Camrose and Drayton Valley."

Green's mission is to prevent a similar problem in Edmonton schools.

So far, he insists, it's working.

Since he and Ebony began working at the highly rated academic Harry Ainlay
school in April, "drug incidents" - including kids caught with dope - "have
dropped 50%."

In most cases of seizures, charges aren't even laid, says Green, who
professes he'd rather see wayward kids "turned around" with a "mentoring"
approach rather than busted and sent to court.

"If we really wanted to sneak up on kids, would we issue a press release
about the drug-dog program?"

In talking to Green, I believe he's sincere in his goals. Obviously he has
a community policing-prevention mentality rather than an enforcement,
bust-'em-good mindset.

But given the sweeping powers of such a program, what happens if the next
dog handler has a different view of policing?