LEE'S PROGRAM IS UNIQUE

SANFORD - A drug dog is now on duty at Lee County High School.

Fresh off a three-month training course, Buvi, an 18-month-old Belgian
Malinois, began sniffing for pills, marijuana and cocaine in cars and
lockers at the school May 1. He has learned to track missing students
and may eventually be able to look for weapons as well, said his
handler, school resource officer David Prevatte.

While many school officers use dogs occasionally, Buvi's permanent
assignment in the school system is unusual, said William Lassiter,
school safety specialist for the N.C. Department of Justice. He trains
school resource officers across the state and said he doesn't know of
any other such arrangement.

The Lee County school system's law enforcement program is unusual: It
is one of two in the state that does not belong to a sheriff's or
police department. Because the agency is independent, like a campus
police department, it doesn't have easy access to police dogs, said
Tracy Carter, who heads the agency.

Lassiter said there are advantages and disadvantages to having a dog
in school.

"A lot of kids are scared of the dogs," he said, and there are
liability issues: For example, the dog can't be used to pinpoint
specific students but must do random, sweeping searches. On the other
hand, a dog's presence is known to be a deterrent to drug dealers, he
said.

Board of Education members said they approved Buvi's purchase - for
about $14,000, with his kennel, training and a vehicle for his
handler, plus $5,000 annually for maintenance - as part of an effort
to keep drugs out of the schools. "We had been talking about using
every method we could to make the campus drug-free," said board member
Jo Ann Thomas.

Before Buvi was purchased, the school system would borrow dogs from
Tarheel Canine, the school where he was trained. But the loan was
monthly and took the surprise out of searches, Prevatte said.

"Kids see that pattern," he said. "They say 'OK, it's been here this
month - it's not coming back for another month.'"

Special events

Prevatte also said that having a dog on campus allows him to patrol
games and big events like graduation. Eventually, Buvi will be used to
do searches at the county's middle schools and educational
presentations at the elementary schools.

Buvi hasn't found any drugs, but school resource officers say arrests
are up. Prevatte said the high school had six drug arrests this month,
up from about two in April. Carter said the school system had 23
arrests this school year, compared with about 15 last year.

"That comes through student tips," Prevatte said. He credits the dog's
presence, in part, for raising awareness of drugs among students.
"They're telling on the dealers."

Students caught with drugs are suspended for 10 days or more and can
face criminal charges.

Buvi searches the parking lot and locker room routinely. During a
demonstration Tuesday, Prevatte fixed a collar and leash on Buvi -
cues that he is to start working. He then took Buvi to a truck where
drugs had been planted, spoke to him softly, and blew into his loosely
closed fist. Leading Buvi around the perimeter of the truck, Prevatte
tapped on the doors and the side of the truck bed. Buvi, agitated and
yelping, snuffled his way along the wheel wells and doors. When he
found the drugs, he sat, awaiting a reward.

"Once he finds narcotics, you praise him by giving him his pipe,"
Prevatte said, holding out a piece of plastic PVC pipe for him to chew
on for a minute.

High school trial

This year, Prevatte is based at Bragg Street Academy, but he has only
been working Buvi at the high school. In the fall, Buvi and Prevatte
will be stationed permanently at the high school.

Two high school students interviewed Tuesday had mixed reactions to
the four-legged presence.

Michelle Musselwhite, 16, said she is afraid of dogs but feels safer
because Buvi has been searching the school grounds.

"I think it's good that they have the dog here," she said.

But Milly Castro, who is 14, said she didn't like the idea of a dog
patrolling the school. She said it gives the impression that the
campus is dangerous.

"They say school should be a safe place," she said. "They have enough
officers; I don't think they should have a dog, too."