DOGS SNIFF SCHOOL IN SEARCH FOR DRUGS

SPRING CREEK - Elko County Sheriff's Office drug-sniffing dogs made a sweep
of Spring Creek High School's parking lot Monday.

It was a nice day and the dogs were available, Spring Creek High School
Vice Principal Mike Altenburg said of the routine drug sweep.

Altenburg also said the checks are done on an irregular schedule to ensure
there are no drugs on the campus.

"To my knowledge there has never been a positive hit," he said. "It is good
training for the dogs and a lot of times deputies will plant some marijuana
just to see if the dogs will pick it up."

The county's drug sniffing K-9s began the sweep at around 9 a.m.

"It was just a routine check," said Elko County Sheriff Neil Harris, "and
we didn't find anything."

According to Undersheriff Steve Bishop, the sheriff's office has a team of
three deputies on K-9 patrol. They are Sgt. Bill Schultz, Doug Gailey and
Lee Foster. Once or twice a year the drug sniffing dogs, along with their
handlers, visit all the junior and senior high schools for training and
check for drugs.

"If we see an increase in drug activity or get a call from school
officials," Harris said, "we'll hit them more often."