DOGS FIND DRUGS AT SCHOOL

Two Canmore high school students were busted for possessing marijuana
following a search of the high school last Thursday (Dec. 2) by two highly
trained law enforcement dogs.

The two dogs were taking part in annual training exercises used by the RCMP
and National Park warden service to help keep their K-9 units in top form.

During the search two students were found to have marijuana in their
possession and another two had marijuana residue on their personal
property, according to RCMP. One student was charged with possession of
under 30 grams and will be referred to the Alternate Measures program.

For the school, the search is a useful tool in an anti-drug campaign.

"The message we want to get out is we don't tolerate drugs at school,"
Canmore Collegiate High School (CCHS) Principal Angela Flynn said Monday
(Dec. 6).

"Whether you catch four or 40, as long as the message is there that this
can happen at any time and it's not acceptable to bring drugs to school,
bottom line," she said.

The dogs and their trainers took part in the hour-long exercise at the
invitation of CCHS administration.

According to the student handbook, the roughly 600 students at CCHS are
subject to a search at any time by police for illegal substances.

"As long as they know that is a possibility, they should be on their toes
at all times," Flynn said.

One at a time, the dogs and their handlers walked through the school,
including a few classrooms that were first emptied of students.

Cpl. Pauline Larrey-King said they prefer not to have the dogs mix with the
students for safety and liability reasons.

Two members of the Canmore detachment, accompanied by Bill Hamilton, with
Calgary's K-9 unit, and Banff National Park Warden Mike Henderson and his
German shepherd Attila were involved in the search. Local cops accompany
the dog handlers in case there are any seizures and charges have to be
laid, but searches of students' belongings has to be done by CCHS
administration.

This search marks the first time the dogs found illegal drugs, Flynn said.
Usually, the dogs and their handlers leave the school without incident.

Cpl. Larrey King said the RCMP are never surprised when they find drugs
during searches.

"Do I think there's generally a drug problem, more than other places? I
couldn't tell," she said.

"It's always successful when we find product and take it off the streets,"
she added. Flynn said she has been receiving positive emails from parents
in response to the search.

As for the students, "some are angry they got caught, some are happy that
we are not ignoring it."

Coincidentally, while the dogs were searching, a teacher reported to the
RCMP that during the lunch break a 17-year-old male student had choked
another male student and threatened to hurt him further. RCMP arrested and
charged the youth with assault and uttering threats,. The student will
appear in the court on Jan. 26, 2005.

Debbie Eggleston, chair of the CCHS parent council, said the council has no
concerns with having the police, the wardens and their dogs in the school
to conduct searches.

"I think it's a great idea so the kids are reminded not to bring drugs to
school. I think the school is doing the best they can, so I applaud them
for what they are doing," she said.

Flynn stressed that the K-9 searches could happen at any time.

"It does have an effect for a while. The more frequent it is the more
effect it is going to have," she said.