NO DRUGS FOUND DURING SEARCH OF SC SCHOOLS

SCOTT CITY -- Students in Scott City schools had a surprise inspection Monday morning by Grande, a drug-sniffing dog.

The German shepherd didn't find any drugs, but Superintendent of Schools Douglas Berry said he plans to check again.

The search wasn't announced; even the school's principals were unaware of it.

"In our handbook we explain that the possibility exists at any time," said Berry. "The dog could be back next week; it might not be back until later in the year."

The drug search was a response to national concern about drugs on school campuses.

Berry said, "We don't think there are drugs at our school, but this is our way of letting the public know -- yes or no. We're going to check."

The school has 950 students.

Mississippi County Deputy Sheriff Rob Barker works with Grande to conduct the drug searches.

Barker said, "We're searching for narcotics -- methamphetamine, marijuana and cocaine."

Grande is trained to believe he is searching for his toy, so the drug searches are like a game to the dog.

Grande searched senior-high students' lockers and the school's locker rooms, methodically sniffing the vents at the bottom of each locker.

Grande indicated there were drugs in one locker, but school officials didn't find any. Barker said it was possible the scent of a drug lingered on a jacket in the locker.

Brenda Schiwitz of the Scott County Sheriff's Department accompanied Barker.

She said when school officials request a drug search they contact the Mississippi County Sheriff's Department. Scott County doesn't have a drug dog.

Several other Scott County school districts have used the dog, and Schiwitz said other searches are planned during the remainder of the school year.

Barker said the dog is available for school searches whenever school officials ask. "We don't just come into a school," he said.

Recently he and Grande searched both Charleston schools and did a seminar at East Prairie.