COUNTY SEES RISE IN SCHOOL DRUG CASES

Marijuana cases in Richmond County schools have nearly doubled from last
year because of police presence and unannounced searches by sheriff's
office K-9 units, school officials said.

There have been 17 marijuana cases since the start of the school year.
There were nine during the same period last year, said district spokeswoman
Mechelle Jordan.

"We attribute the increase to more public safety officer presence and our
continued support from the Richmond County Sheriff's Office," Ms. Jordan said.

In the first three months of school, the K-9 Task Force searched 200 school
parking lots in Richmond County and took dogs inside schools 38 times.

But most of the cases come from public safety officers or teachers who find
pupils smoking joints in the bathroom or who act on a tip from classmates,
such as in these recent cases:

Coach Jason Osborn at Hephzibah High School found a freshman rolling a
joint in the boys' bathroom Oct. 22. The 16-year-old cursed at the coach
and ran from the bathroom. The student was later found with a bag of
marijuana in his pocket.

Two pupils at East Augusta Middle School told a teacher Oct. 3 that a
female classmate had drugs in her book bag. The 12-year-old girl broke down
crying when confronted, and she turned over a box of marijuana.

A 16-year-old boy at Butler High School came to school reeking of marijuana
Sept. 25 and admitted smoking a marijuana cigarette on the way to school.
An officer found more marijuana in his pocket.

A 13-year-old boy at Glenn Hills Middle School was storing marijuana in his
shoe Aug. 20. Pupils found with small amounts of drugs on school property
avoid arrest. Instead, they are usually suspended and given a date within
10 days before the school's tribunal panel. Most are ultimately sent to the
Alternative Center and the school public safety department gives the drugs
to the sheriff's office to destroy, said sheriff's Sgt. Allan Rollins, of
the narcotics division.

The K-9 Task Force has been credited as one of the reasons why drug cases
have doubled at Richmond County schools. ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER/STAFF

"It would be a tremendous hassle dragging them through the juvenile justice
system," he said. "When they get into the bigger cases, the cases that
would be felony cases, they call us in."

Three years ago, Superintendent Charles Larke formed an interagency
agreement between the school district and the sheriff's office, said Sgt.
John Gray, of the K-9 Task Force. The sheriff's office comes onto school
property upon the request of a principal or public safety officers.

About 75 percent of searches are done at the request of principals because
of a concern about drugs, but random searches are done by a lottery system,
Sgt. Gray said.

'We will pull a chip from a basket," he said. "Whatever school is pulled
up, we will plan the search, go in and notify a principal within a 15- to
20-minute span."

The officers and their dogs have little interaction with pupils during the
searches, avoiding the type of scenario that played out Nov. 5 in Goose
Creek, S.C., when gun-toting police burst into the school and ordered
pupils to lie down in the hallway as they searched for drugs. In Richmond
County, classrooms are locked down during searches.

"Students won't be able to come out and roam halls. We conduct common-area
searches in lockers, hallways and bathrooms," Sgt. Gray said. "The
classrooms are closed. We have no reason to pull our weapons. We may carry
them, but we don't have them drawn."

The searches last no longer than one period so they don't interrupt class.
If a police dog indicates the presence of drugs in a vehicle or locker,
public safety officers usually take care of searching for the drugs, Sgt.
Gray said. A meeting is held with the pupil. Sheriff's officials become
involved only if there is a large amount of drugs.

While the school district said marijuana cases have nearly doubled,
sheriff's officials say the quantity pupils carry to school seems to be
shrinking.

"It used to be that we would catch someone with four or five quarter bags
in a book bag. Now, if we are lucky, we will get four or five nickel bags,"
Sgt. Rollins said. "The message is probably getting through."

DRUG PREVENTION

Richmond County schools use a variety of methods to fight drug use:

ADAPP (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Program) : A five-hour course on
the dangers of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. Pupils who have violated
the code of conduct may attend with their parents to waive five days of the
mandated 10-day suspension.

RED RIBBON WEEK: An October campaign encouraging pupils to say no to drugs.
During school assemblies, pupils perform poems, readings, music and
dramatic productions. A motivational speaker reinforces the message along
with police and other professionals. Pupils also participate in essay and
poster contests.

KICK BUTTS DAY: Held annually in April, this one-day activity encourages
pupils to "kick tobacco" out of their lives. Pupils from after-school
programs are invited to participate in an afternoon of fun and education.

DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES COALITION: A collaboration of community groups
establishes programs to empower youth and communities through education.
Several agencies write grant proposals, create public service announcements
and conduct block parties and community forums.