Pubdate: Thu, 28 Sep 2006
Source: Record, The (Stockton, CA)
Copyright: 2006 The Record
Contact:  http://www.recordnet.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/428
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

TRACY SCHOOL BOARD OKS SEARCHING CAMPUSES WITH DOGS

TRACY - School board trustees voted Tuesday night to  use trained 
dogs to help keep drugs and alcohol out of  the district's high schools.

The Tracy Unified School District Governing Board voted  6-0 in favor 
of contracting with Modesto-based  Kontraband Interdiction Detective 
Services to conduct  random campus searches. Trustee Gerry Machado 
was not  present, and the board approved the 
staff-recommended  deterrent without discussion.

Having the drug-and-alcohol sniffing dogs patrol  classrooms, parking 
lots and the areas around lockers  will deter students from bringing 
the substances to  school, according to district staff.

And the impending sweeps can serve as an excuse for  students who 
might be tempted to succumb to peer  pressure and carry or use the 
substances on campus,  said Rebecca Frame, Tracy Unified's director 
of student  services.

Lincoln and Escalon unified school districts use dogs  from the 
service on their campuses. Other districts in  the county either 
don't use the drug-sniffing dogs on  campus, contract with a 
different company or use local  police dogs.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman