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Today's date: September 3, 2010

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Classroom

Drug dog pays a visit to MCC


		March 5, 2003

	The rumors were flying after last Fridays visit from the drug-sniffing dog at Murray County Central High School.

By Diane Clercx

The rumors were flying after last Fridays visit from the drug-sniffing dog at Murray County Central High School. A big lock down of the students, garbage bag full of drugs, dog barking at certain students lockers and the stories went on and on. I decided to get to the bottom of the big lock down and contacted high school principal Mark Bergmann. He informed me that it wasn't a big lock down, but merely instructing teachers to keep the students in their classroom from 8:10 to 9:20 and if there was an emergency or someone had to leave the room to call the office first.

The reason for the dog's visit is that the school board requested it. Bergmann states that the board wanted this procedure done on a regular basis last year but a handler and a dog were not available at the times the school wanted them.

At the last school board meeting, Interquest Detection Canines from St. Peter gave a demonstration to the board. This business has dogs that are trained to sniff out illegal substances, alcohol, gun powder and over the counter medications. The dogs are also trained to be people friendly, non-aggressive, approachable and well-socialized. This program is considered as a pro-active approach and designed as a deterrence rather than apprehension. Bergmann says that the company was willing to bring a dog to Murray County Central three times a month until the end of the school year for $1,000. Their normal fee is $300 for half a day and $500 for a full day.

Bergmann thought this was a generous offer from the company, but the board decided to stay local and Bergmann was instructed to work with Slayton Police Chief Christensen and find a local drug dog. They hired a dog and handler from Worthington at a cost of around $200, which Christensen said the city would cover the cost this time. Bergmann points out that this dog is ten years old and the only other drug dog around this area is in Pipestone.

The drug-sniffing dog was accompanied by the officer that handles him, police chief Christensen and one of his officers and a sheriff's deputy. The barking that was heard was when the dog was shown a toy that is used as a ploy for him to find, thus searching for drugs, etc. The dog would stop at all the garbage cans and stick his nose in them, so the bag was taken out of the can and the dog then ignored both the can and the bag. Three lockers were scratched at, but there was nothing found in any of them, only books. The back parking lots were also checked and nothing was found.

Bergmann was proud of the fact that nothing was found but commented that he wished the board would have opted for the Interquest program. He personally doesn't like having four law enforcement officers walking around the halls and having to keep the students in the classrooms. "It makes it look like we don't trust them." Bergmann said of the students. He would prefer a friendlier dog that can walk through with the students in the halls. A non-intrusive approach is the way he would like to approach this, making a safe environment in school.

The school plans on doing the drug-sniffing regularly. Bergmann stated that he wished they could use a dog that sniffs out more than just narcotics. "I think the number one drug of choice around here is alcohol," he says, "and that is more a community/ parent problem than a school problem." He doesn't think students would normally bring alcohol into the school on a regular basis. But if it was a problem the dog trained for sniffing out alcohol would sure help the situation out, along with sniffing out gun powder and medications.