STUDENTS RESPOND TO UNDERCOVER STING

Students in Federal Way high schools, for the most part, don't mind
the idea of having undercover police officers attending classes with
them.

Two weeks ago, the Federal Way Police Department charged 12 students
and two adults with drug and weapons charges after an undercover
operation at three Federal Way high schools. The officers, a
29-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man, posed as students while
purchasing drugs and guns.

Undercover operations in high schools are rare in the area. The most
recent local undercover high school bust was in Redmond in 2003.

A random sampling of students walking home from Todd Beamer High
School last week revealed that many students really couldn't care
less about the undercover operation.

"I don't sell drugs, I don't smoke, I don't do anything," said
freshman Lucas Belgarde. "I really don't care if (undercover
officers) are here."

Frances Reed, a junior at Todd Beamer, said she supported the police
efforts.

She wasn't surprised to hear about the drugs and guns on campus, she
said.

"That's typical teenagers," she said, adding that she and her friends
feel safe at school.

At Federal Way High School, some students worried that people hearing
about the drug busts will think less of their school. Rather, the
busts illustrate that police and school officials in Federal Way are
proactive, said senior Rita Helmbrecht.

"It should be looked at as a positive thing," she said. "We don't
ignore our problems. We like to get after them."

Jeff Oh, a senior, agreed.

"I'm proud that our officers are doing something to keep our schools
safe," Oh said.

Justin Willis, a junior at Federal Way, added that school districts
everywhere have problems with drugs and guns.

"We're the ones doing something about it," Willis
said.

Helmbrecht noted that just because an undercover officer could easily
find drugs on campus doesn't mean the campus is rampant with illegal
drugs and activity.

If asked, most students could point out a likely source of drugs as
easily as they could a student athlete or member of any other group
on campus.

"Everybody knows who the party-ers are at every school," Helmbrecht
said.

Oh noted that the amount of drugs found on campus was relatively
small compared to widely publicized busts involving adults.

In one transaction, an undercover officer purchased $5 worth of
marijuana from a student.

"The media makes it sound like it's 'Scarface'," Oh
said.

Although students at Federal Way have heard rumors about who the
undercover officer at their school was, they aren't certain.

It would be easy for an adult to pass off as a student, Helmbrecht
said. Young teachers are often mistaken for students.

"You just throw on some baggy jeans and you're good to go," she
said.

Although the busts were likely to slow down drug activity on campus,
several students said that the police efforts were unlikely to end
the problem.

"If anything, they're going to be a lot more cautious," said Federal
Way junior Britni Racus.

Lynaia Collins, a sophomore at Federal Way, said the high school drug
busts are an opportunity for early intervention for troubled youth.

"In the long run it will benefit the future because they're getting
caught now," she said. "They could change themselves."