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No drugs, weapons found during random sweep of Springfield High

Photos: Springfield High drug sweep

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Police officers and their canine partners from several area departments leave Springfield High School Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010 following a drug and weapons sweep of the school. The school and parking lot were locked down for two hours during the search with no access in or out.

Staff photo by Bill Lackey Police officers and their canine partners from several area departments leave Springfield High School Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010 following a drug and weapons sweep of the school. The school and parking lot were locked down for two hours during the search with no access in or out.

11 area K-9 officers conduct search during 90-minute lockdown

By Megan Gildow, Staff writer Updated 10:02 PM Wednesday, February 24, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — School lockdowns rarely lead to good news — but that was the case when no contraband was found during a random drug sweep of Springfield High School on Wednesday, Feb. 24, according to school and law enforcement officials.

The school locked down for 90 minutes Wednesday morning, keeping students in their classrooms so they did not come in contact with drug- and weapon-sniffing police dogs searching areas with lockers or student storage, said Springfield City Schools Superintendent David Estrop.

“This shows everyone that our school is safe and our kids are doing the right thing every day,” said SHS Campus Director Chris Shaffer.

Eleven area K-9 officers — from agencies in Columbus, Dayton, Centerville and Greene County, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Ohio State Highway Patrol — joined Springfield Police Division Officer Rambo, a Belgian Malinois, and K-9 handler Officer Mike Fredendall for the search; individual dogs are trained to detect bombs, weapons or illegal narcotics such as marijuana, cocaine or ecstasy.

“This is a very common procedure throughout the state,” said Fredendall.

The dogs “indicated” on 17 lockers — meaning the dog detected a trace of the scent of a drug or weapon, according to Fredendall — but searches of the lockers revealed no contraband. Parents of those students will be notified but there will be no legal or disciplinary action.

“We have to be proactive to provide this safe environment for the students and staff,” said Moody.

None of the dogs present are able to detect prescription drugs, which as many as one in five teens admits to using, according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America.

Only two dogs in the state are trained to detect those drugs, said Fredendall, who coordinated the search along with School Resource Officer David Lyle.

“I know that the use of prescription and inhalants is increasing in popularity among some of the students,” said Estrop. “Obviously that’s a concern. We’re going to continue to look for tools that we can use to address that.”

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