DRUG-FREE ZONE TARGETED FOR BALLENAS

School staff and Oceanside RCMP are ready to implement a new drug-free
zone around Ballenas Secondary School in the new year. Now all they
need is the students on board.

"The news is out there that the drug-free zone is coming," said Bill
Rawlins, principal of BSS.

Rawlins said he and the vice-principals at the school will talk to
individual classes about the rules of a drug-free zone, when they
start up again in January. Once that is done, the regulations are
officially in place.

"A drug-free zone is an area set up around the school - when it's
set-up, we handle things a little differently," said Corporal Garry
Cox, the Oceanside RCMP Community Liaison Officer who has helped BSS
with the implementation.

"It's zero tolerance, something will happen when you get caught," said
Cox.

The drug-free zone establishes boundaries of approximately half a
kilometre around the school. When anyone is caught using, under the
influence of, or selling drugs, it's an automatic RCMP call. That
means students will deal first with the police, then the school.

"We are trying to make the school zone safer," said Cox. "The students
feel safer when there's a drug-free zone."

Rawlins said there has been a proven need at BSS for a while, such as
a half dozen students being caught using drugs on school property the
day of the interview.

"We need to make it a white card move - if you're under the influence,
in possession or selling, you're caught," said Rawlins.

The success with the drug-free zone at Kwalikum Secondary School has
been motivating for both BSS administration and the RCMP.

Cox and Rawlins said the partnership of the school, RCMP and community
has been successful both as an educational and security tool.

"It's not a magic tool," said Cox. "But it helps get across to the
students that we are treating this very seriously."