Pilot scheme backs sniffer dogs in schools

Wednesday, 20 April 2005 12:00 AM

A pilot scheme using sniffer dogs in schools could be extended across the country after experts gave initial trials a glowing report.

A project involving six Buckinghamshire secondary schools has seen dogs being used to discover whether pupils are using drugs or are bringing banned substances on to school premises.

Experts involved in the pilot, which was carried out by the John Grieve Centre for Policing and Community Safety, have now recommended that the programme should be extended to other parts of the UK.

The pilot used one sniffer dog to search buildings and classrooms to find out whether any drugs were being stored in school and another stationed at the school entrance to check pupils as they arrived for lessons.

Leading the study, Professor Allyson MacVean advocated the use of sniffer dogs as part of every school's anti-drugs strategy, but suggested that they might be more effective if there were random checks.

She pointed out that pupils may play truant if they saw the dogs at the school gate in the morning, but would not be able to avoid the checks if they were carried out at random during lessons.

A survey carried out by Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College also found widespread support for the project among parents, teachers and the children themselves.

As such, local education authorities (LEAs) are now being urged to implement similar schemes in their own schools.

Chris Keates, general secretary of the teaching union NASUWT said that her union fully supported the concept of random tests.

Ms Keates said: "NASUWT supported the concept of random drug testing when it was first mooted by the Government several months ago.

"NASUWT extended the concept when we proposed random airport-style security checks for offensive weapons, a strategy which is now supported by the Home Office."

She added: "Headteachers should be able to commission teams to undertake random checks as part of a menu of options to address pupil welfare and school security. The random checks act as both a deterrent and detection strategy."

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