DRUG SWEEPS BEST WAY TO KEEP SCHOOLS SAFE

Law enforcement officers in Wood County recently converged on the county's
three high schools for a drug sweep. The sweep, involving nine dogs and six
law enforcement agencies, came at the request of the Wood County Board of
Education. At approximately 8:15 a.m. Monday, the officers conducted a
coordinated effort at Williamstown, Parkersburg South and Parkersburg high
schools. Lockers, restrooms, parking lots and approximately 30 percent of
all classrooms were searched during the sweep. While the dogs did smell
some things that triggered responses and search warrants were obtained,
nothing illegal was found and no arrests were made.

While many students and parents may have found the sweeps inconvenient -
students were retained in classes for longer than scheduled times while
lockers and halls were being searched - we believe this is one of the best
methods available to help keep schools free from problems such as drugs,
alcohol, or worse, weapons. "I'm not so naive to think our students don't
sometimes get involved in drugs," Superintendent Dan Curry told the
newspaper. "Some of them surely do. However, to have an operation so broad
in scope come up with nothing points to the fact that most of our students
are clean."

Most students are clean of drugs, and as this sweep proves, schools are not
drug infested dens of iniquity. However, periodic sweeps, such as occurred
at the three high schools this week may make those students who do use
drugs think twice about bringing them on the school property.

Anyone objecting should realize these periodic sweeps can only make schools
safer for everyone. Kids should not be subjected to drug deals in hallways.
Parents should not have to worry about their children when they are sent to
school. But in our day, unfortunately, all these things do happen. A drug
sweep serves as a reality check that actions may have consequences.

That said, it is extremely gratifying to realize a sweep of three high
schools - two of them among the largest in the state - by six police
agencies found nothing illegal. This is an indication of not only the kind
of kids we have here, but of the quality of the school system they attend.

Parkersburg Police Chief Bob Newell said more sweeps could happen in the
future. "There's always a standing invitation open to police," he said. We
encourage the police to use that invitation. Even if like this past week,
nothing illegal is found, these sweeps serve as the best method to ensure
it stays that way.