POLICE IN DRUG RAID THREAT TO PRIVATE SCHOOL PARENTS

POLICE have threatened to raid the homes of parents whose privately
educated children are caught with drugs at school.

Officers issued the stark warning to parents and children as young as 12
during meetings at Mary Erskine and Stewart's Melville College in Edinburgh.

Lothian and Borders police told them they would make full use of their
powers to search the homes of pupils found with drugs or suspected of drug
dealing.

Other Scottish forces and anti-drugs campaigners yesterday distanced
themselves from the threats, saying there were more important messages to
get across to young people.

But Lothian and Borders Police defended the move and said the warning, part
of a police talk on the dangers of drugs, was aimed at explaining what
powers police have under the law.

The threats will further inflame the debate about heavy-handed treatment of
schoolchildren caught with drugs. Last week, Edinburgh's director of
education Roy Jobson accused private schools of "washing their hands" of
pupils' drugs problems with their zero tolerance attitude.

His comments came after Fettes College expelled three pupils for
drug-related incidents while Edinburgh Academy announced it would charge
parents £50 to test pupils they thought were trying drugs.

Parents at Stewart's Melville College, who pay up to £3,800 a term, said
last night they were shocked that police had threatened to raid their homes
at what they thought was going to be a routine drugs awareness talk.

One mother said: "It's like telling an eight-year-old about death, it's not
a reality for them yet. They were explaining what drugs look like and the
effects of drugs. Then they told us our homes could be searched if they
found drugs on one of our children. They said the same thing to my
12-year-old son at a subsequent meeting. I was surprised they'd said it."

Alasdair Buchanan, who has a 17-old-year daughter at Mary Erskine, said: "
It's reasonable that steps should be taken to properly investigate anyone
who is contributing to that environment. I would be amazed if kids at 12
had any exposure of that type. I can imagine some people being concerned
about that sort of thing being said or parents being worried police are
going to break down their front doors. Presumably, that was not the intention."

Police forces across Scotland can apply for a search warrant under the
Misuse of Drugs Act. But Strathclyde, Tayside and Grampian police forces
said it is not something they chose to warn parents and pupils about.

Jim Urquhart, inspector of community affairs with Grampian police force,
said: "We would not contemplate covering that, it's not a priority issue.
It's not a positive issue, that's what you do once the horse has bolted."

Alistair Ramsay, director of Scotland Against Drugs, also criticised the
comments. He said: "While it's important to give good sound information to
both young people and parents, it lies in the judgment of the trained
officer as to the level of information passed on. There are other things
higher up the scale of priorities that need to be dealt with such as what
the penalties are for carrying and supplying drugs."