Pubdate: Fri, 01 Feb 2002
Source: Bucks County Courier Times (PA)
Copyright: 2002 Calkins Newspapers. Inc.
Contact: http://www.phillyburbs.com/feedback/content_cti.shtml
Website: http://www.phillyburbs.com/couriertimes/index.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1026
Author: Debbie Farmer

LOOK AT THE RECORD OF DOG SEARCHES

Our company provides canine contraband detection services to schools in the 
Bucks County area. I would like to applaud the Courier Times' approach to 
this story and make a few comments in support of Neshaminy Superintendent 
Gary Bowman.

Though this program may seem new in Pennsylvania, public- and 
private-sector schools have been using private canine detection services 
since the late 1970s, with measured success. We now provide the same 
service to nearly 1,500 public school districts in 18 states.

This is not a program intended to "label" students, to "catch" anyone, or 
to "clamp down" on anything other than drug trafficking in our schools. 
What we offer students is an opportunity to participate in a user-friendly 
program to help eliminate drugs, alcohol and weapons, and some of the 
associated peer pressures from their campuses. During the 1999-2000 school 
year, Interquest canines found 362 weapons and 4,874 instances of illicit 
drugs in schools.

Though Mr. Bowman may be under fire for being proactive and instituting 
such a program, I wonder if everyone would look back over the last few 
years and recall from our national headlines the names and places of the 
schools that weren't.

DEBBIE FARMER

Houston
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