LEE MAY CALL IN THE DOGS

LEE -- Emphasizing once again that the district plans to vigorously enforce
its policy of "zero tolerance" for drug and alcohol use, the Lee School
Committee is actively looking into the possibility of using drug-sniffing
dogs from the state police K-9 unit to patrol the Lee High and Middle School.

The sweeps would come once or twice a year, at unannounced times, according
to Sgt. Neil H. Raymond of the Massachusetts State Police K-9 unit. The
service, he said, would be free of charge.

The School Committee was not unreceptive, but asked Superintendent Mary T.
Seppala to work out the program in conjunction with the Freedom From
Chemical Dependency program the district plans to implement in the high
school later this month.

Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Neil H. Raymond of Lee poses with Webster,
his 8-year-old German shepherd. Webster, a patrol dog in the state police
K-9 unit, is also trained to sniff out narcotics.

Raymond emphasized that he did not believe Lee had a drug problem that was
any more invasive than that of other school districts. But, he said, as a
resident of Lee with children in the school system, "I thought I would be
remiss if I didn't bring this forward to your school district for
consideration."

Heroin in Lee

Edward Lahey, a former member of the Lee School Committee and a resident
who is still active in local youth and civic groups, told the School
Committee that "to not take advantage of this would be insanity. Make no
mistake: There is a drug problem in Lee. There is heroin in Lee."

School Committee Chairman Michael Bullock pointed out that several students
have come before the School Committee on their own to ask for help.

"These are students who are not involved in drugs, but they are frightened
because they know someone who is," he said.

Raymond explained that the sweeps, run during the day, would technically be
conducted by the administration of the Lee School District. A state
trooper, a local police officerandanadministrator would accompany the dogs
on their rounds, which he estimated would take "no more than 45 minutes."

There have never been any injuries during the sweeps. Students are kept in
their classrooms, he said.

When something is discovered, he said, it will be up to the administrator
to take action.

"As a police officer, I would recommend a zero tolerance," said Raymond.
"But we would encourage you to develop your own policy in conjunction with
the Lee Police Department."

Raymond explained that the dogs respond to the smell of certain drugs, and
that there are many times when they detect the odor but the drug is not there.

"I would say in 25 to 30 percent of the time, we find something," he said.

Psychological Effect

But, said Raymond, the psychological effect of the search is often just as
important.

School Committee member Diane Wespiser asked Raymond why the emphasis is on
daytime sweeps rather than nighttime ones.

"We find that people tend to carry things away with them after school," he
said. "Also the psychological effect of the search is more profound during
the day."

He said Wahconah Regional High School is currently the only school in the
county that allows drug searches.

The committee was generally in favor, but asked Seppala to work with the
Lee Police Department to work out a protocol for the sweeps.

"There's no doubt we need to have a zero tolerance policy," said committee
member Carol LePrevost, "if it's in conjunction with an educational program
and we have a policy to cover it."