Chula Vista Police Officers and their dogs hit the classroom last week.
As part of a partnership with the Sweetwater Union High School District, the Chula Vista Police Department are brining their canines on the campuses of high schools in Chula Vista to search for contraband.
“The goal is to make sure our schools are drug free zones and that students are safe,” said Sweetwater board president John McCann.
Chula Vista Police Capt. Lon Turner said over a two-day span last week, officers and a canine went on five Sweetwater campuses -Castle Park High School, Chula Vista High School, Eastlake High School, Hilltop High School and Otay Ranch High School- to search for contraband.
The schools were chosen for inspection by the district, Turner said.
Turner said the canine inspected eight classrooms and 2,000 lockers over the two-days.
Turner said school principals identified the areas to be sniffed by the canine.
Turner said any occupied classrooms were emptied prior to the canine entering with the officer.
Turner said no drugs were found in all five campuses.
“We’ve only determined one positive hit that turned out to be non-productive,” he said.
“In this case, the fact that no drugs were found on any campuses is a good thing, however it doesn’t mean there aren’t any drugs at these campuses.”
Turner said he doesn’t know the specifics as to the circumstances that lead to the positive hit that turned out to be non-productive.
Juvenilel law attorney Michael McGlinn said the police and their canines have a right to be on campus to search for contraband.
“The standard required for searches at schools is reasonableness,”he said.
The Supreme Court has ruled that warrantless police conduct may comply with the Fourth Amendment so long as it is reasonable under circumstances.
McGlinn also said narcotic sniffing dogs have a 70 percent accuracy rate.
McGlinn said the U.S. constitution protects students from police searches.
“Basically, the law as I understand it is, that it is not a violation of the fourth amendment for instance to have a dog sniff (outside the borders of) a car,” he said.
“But when for instance a dog starts sniffing a person, and then say alerts an officer that the person may have something on them, then its a violation of the fourth amendment rights against illegal search and seizures to search that person without a warrant.”
McGlinn said if the police had reason to search a student, he would advise the student to not consent to a search unless there is a search warrant.
The partnership between CVPD and the school district has been in place for at least six-years, said Manny Rubio,
Director of Grants and Communications for the Sweetwater district.
“The reason why we’re getting scrutinized now is because we are being transparent about it,” he said. “We’ve tried to make it more public, more transparent than the past few years.”
The district posted a letter informing parents of the police operation on school websites.
Parents even received automated call-advising parents of the police operation.
Although parents were not given specific dates as to when police would be on campus.
McGlinn said he doesn’t think that there is a law that says parents must be notified of the canine operation.
He said the school district’s policy determines if parents need to be notified.
“I don’t think the community can say ‘police you’re not allowed to bring dogs onto the schools campus,” he said.
The purpose of the operation is to “ensure a safe learning environment on campus and deter students from bringing illegal substances to school,” the letter states.
According to the letter, dogs are trained to detect the order of illicit drug odors, alcoholic beverages, residual odor and explosives.
“The dogs doesn’t search for items, it smells a smell,” Rubio said.
Turner said the canine did not physically sniff any students, only open spaces such as classrooms and hallways.
Rubio said the searches lasted about 45-minutes.
Rubio also said searching the property of students does not violate any rights.
“Administrators have a right to do property searches,” he said.
Rubio said school administrators are present with police officers when a search is conducted.
McCann said over the years, drugs have been present on district campuses.
“I do think there is a concern of drugs on our campuses,” he said.
McCann said with this police operation, the district is taking a proactive approach instead of being reactive to drugs on campus.
Last year, the CVPD didn’t conduct the operation because it didn’t have the budget for it, Turner said.
Turner said the cost of the operation is the overtime pay for the canine officer, which was $568 for four hours for the two days.
Rubio said the district pays the police department $150 per school for the five schools being searched.
Rubio said if a student were to be suspected of having contraband, school officials would bring the student in to the office with their parents to discuss the matter. Rubio said the district would then conduct its own investigation.
McGlinn said he suggests that if police or school officials are questioning a student, that the student request for a parent or attorney to be present before answering any questions.
