Pubdate: Sun, 02 May 2004
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2004 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Stuart Hunter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids)

SCHOOL DRUG-SNIFFING DOGS NO REGULAR THING: SURREY RCMP

RCMP have turned up their noses at a Surrey School Board plan to use the 
detachment's drug-sniffing dogs.

Their reasoning? The squad's eight canine units are already busy enough. 
The plan to bring dogs into schools, first floated last year, will be voted 
on at a May 13 board meeting. Trustee Heather Stillwell predicts the 
policy, part of Surrey's Safe & Caring Schools initiative, will pass.

She says she welcomes the move, because drugs are the main thing that make 
students feel unsafe.

"The students have a right to be in a drug-free environment for their 
schooling," Stillwell said yesterday. "[But] this is not going to be like a 
regular thing on every second Wednesday, because the police don't have the 
capacity to do that."

The RCMP warned the board that it couldn't provide its dogs for random 
searches and that a private agency would charge $275 an hour. Surrey RCMP 
Const. Tim Shields says that although his detachment was involved in 
creating the overall initiative, it has no plans to use the its dogs for 
"fishing trips."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom