Sag Harbor schools may use drug dogs
Handler John Dolan and search dog Shatzie the walking in a locker room of Sachem High School. Credit: Joel Cairo, 2009
The Sag Harbor school district is moving closer to using drug-sniffing dogs to detect illegal substances in student lockers, school officials said Tuesday.
Superintendent John Gratto said the board of education passed a first reading of the policy by a 7-0 vote Monday night. A second reading and final vote will take place Feb. 6, and the dogs may be used in the schools soon after. Their visit will not be announced, however.
"This is not in a response to any particular incident; it is simply a tool in the toolbox to prevent drug use and keep people safe," Gratto said Tuesday.
He said the schools will work with Suffolk police on a no-charge basis. The police department already conducts similar searches in several other schools.
The policy under consideration in Sag Harbor states that no one will be notified in advance of the arrival of the police except the building principal and the superintendent, and an attempt will be made to conduct searches when students are in classrooms. In addition, officers and their dogs are not authorized to "sniff search" individuals.
If an illegal substance is found, the student will be referred to the proper police agency, but Gratto also said counseling will be available.
The district had surveyed students about drug use at the high school, and school officials said they found a disconnect among students about the perils of drug use. Many students responded that they knew of other students using drugs.
"This is something we are going to do during the school year as a preventive, proactive move in order to discourage people from bringing drugs to school," Gratto said.
The Sachem school district started using the dogs two years ago. Security director Wayne Wilson praised their use, although no illicit drugs have been found.
"We are using them as a deterrent," Wilson said. "We use them mainly only at the high schools."
Smithtown schools have also used the dogs. The number of other Long Island districts taking that step wasn't available.
Amol Sinha, director of the Suffolk County chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said though such actions are legal, schools should not treat children like suspects.
"Policies that breed distrust between youth, educators and law enforcement are simply shortsighted," he said.
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
