Pubdate: Sun, 19 Aug 2007
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA)
Copyright: 2007 PG Publishing
Contact:  http://www.post-gazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/341
Author: Janice Crompton, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hallucinogens.htm (Hallucinogens)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

Washington County

'DRUG DOGS' WILL MONITOR CONTRABAND IN PETERS SCHOOLS

Peters School District students may want to think twice about 
district regulations governing drugs, alcohol, and even 
over-the-counter and prescription medication, after a demonstration 
Tuesday proved the nose has it when it comes to contraband-sniffing dogs.

During a town hall meeting at Peters Township High School, owner Gene 
Papet of K9 Resources in Kings Mills, near Cincinnati, Ohio, brought 
along 8-year-old Blitz, a golden retriever who could detect not just 
banned substances like alcohol, but even their residue.

The presentation was supposed to alleviate concern and educate 
parents who had questioned the expense and procedures of the canine 
program, but it drew only 19 residents, many of whom were children. 
By contrast, 14 of the district's administrators were present, ready 
to answer questions.

District spokeswoman Cara Zanella said some parents told her they 
were on vacation or finishing preparations for the new school year, 
which begins Aug.  27.

For those who attended, though, Blitz put on quite a show, even 
allowing Mr. Papet to pull her up by her tail and pull on her ears to 
show that no matter what, she won't bite.

It was part of Blitz's "bite abatement" therapy when she was trained, 
Mr. Papet said, to ensure the dogs are pet-friendly.

"They will not bite under any circumstances," he said.

Rather, each of his seven female dogs (easier to train than males, 
Mr. Papet says) are taught to alert their handlers to banned 
substances by sitting down.

Mr. Papet, who has operated the company for more than 20 years, 
demonstrated by ordering Blitz to search the high school auditorium 
after he used a cotton ball to wipe vodka on the outside of an 
electrical outlet.

When Blitz came across the outlet, she sat down, intently staring at 
Mr. Papet, but without a bite, scratch or whimper.

Seven-year-old Emily Anderson, a second-grade student at Pleasant 
Valley Elementary School, helped in the demonstration by leading 
Blitz on a leash. When Blitz "alerted" on the alcohol smear, Emily 
pulled as hard as she could on the leash, but Blitz wouldn't budge.

Every one of the dogs is different, Mr. Papet said, and some, such as 
his Labrador retrievers and springer spaniels, can detect various 
items, such as weapons, narcotics, alcohol and bombs.

Blitz is trained to detect just about every illegal drug, including 
marijuana, heroin, cocaine and LSD and PCP, along with many other substances.

Dogs can smell hundreds of times better than humans, but have been 
known to occasionally misfire.

Dogs sometimes alert on objects like inhalers, and as long as the 
item isn't prohibited from school, there will be no action taken, he said.

Prescription and over-the-counter drugs are to be registered with the 
school before being brought onto the property by students.

The dogs are trained not to sniff people, only objects and surfaces.

Still, resident Connie Kean said she wondered how students' privacy 
rights would be protected, and whether they could be embarrassed by 
being called from class, even if the item they were carrying was as 
innocuous as an aspirin.

"I just don't want kids embarrassed," she said. "They deserve to have privacy."

High school principal Thomas Hajzus said that's something the schools 
are already considering, and said students wouldn't be singled out.

Mr. Papet said he will rotate the dogs when he visits Peters schools 
during this school year, which will be at least 20 times, according 
to his $14,000 contract.

Some residents have balked at the cost and complained during school 
board meetings, but Mr. Papet said he will be implementing an 
education program, not just searches.

Although the dogs will be searching parking lots, classrooms and 
lockers during random, unannounced visits, part of the contract calls 
for assemblies and character-based programs for students.

"It's not us who can make this school safe, it's them," Mr. Papet 
said of students.

His company works for corporations, such as Marathon Oil, and for law 
enforcement and schools. Mr. Papet declined to say how many schools 
he works with because of privacy issues, but said he's worked with 
more than 250,000 students.

Mr. Papet said his company has clients in Ohio, Kentucky and 
Pennsylvania, and is licensed by the U.S.  Drug Enforcement Agency 
and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. He was recently 
approved for a private investigator's license, a requirement for drug 
dog handlers working in Pennsylvania.

There is no nationwide regulatory agency for companies that train and 
use drug dogs.

The company also provides a toll-free, 24-hour anonymous tip line and 
collector's cards with fun photos of each dog and their particulars.

Mr. Papet said his goal is to educate students and help them recover 
from substance abuse and other problems while they still have a chance.

"They can put it behind them in school, but they can't put it behind 
them out in the real world," he said. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake