Pubdate: Sat, 14 Oct 2006
Source: Hartford Courant (CT)
Copyright: 2006 The Hartford Courant
Contact:  http://www.courant.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/183
Author: David Owens, Courant Staff Writer
Note: MAP archives articles exactly as published, except that our 
editors may redact the names and addresses of accused persons who 
have not been convicted of a crime, if those named are not otherwise 
public figures or officials.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?237 (Drug Dogs)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Marijuana)

DRUG-SNIFFING CANINES LOCATE MARIJUANA IN STUDENT'S CAR

VERNON -- School administrators invited police and a team of 
drug-sniffing dogs into Rockville High School Friday and the dogs 
detected no drugs inside the school.

One of the four police dogs did detect marijuana in a student's car 
in the school parking lot, and that student was arrested.

Friday's exercise was the first time school officials used a 
relatively new board of education policy to check the school for 
illegal substances.

"The board of education last spring passed a policy for the use of 
trained dogs to search on school property," Rockville High School 
Principal Brian Levesque said.  Friday "was the first time we 
actually implemented that policy."

School officials alerted students and parents to the policy and made 
it clear that at some point, dogs would be brought into the school to 
search for contraband, Levesque said. Friday's search was unannounced.

"We were pleased with how this went," said Richard Paskiewicz, the 
interim superintendent of schools. "We have a good working 
relationship with [police] we will do this again."

The four dogs that searched the building came from the Vernon and 
Manchester police departments and the U.S.  Customs Service, Vernon 
police Lt. Brian Smith said.

The student whose car was found to contain marijuana was identified 
as [name redacted], a senior, who was charged with possession of less 
than 4 ounces of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, 
police said. He was released on bond. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake