On Thursday, April 28, the School District 166 campus was locked down at approximately 9:30 a.m. as two law enforcement officers with a canine entered the school and conducted a search for illegal substances.
As the search began, ISD 166 Superintendent Beth Schwarz notified local media to inform them that the search was routine. She said, “We do not expect to find anything and there is no safety concern for students or staff.”
When the search was completed, about an hour later, Schwarz issued another statement. Schwarz said that the search had been random. “There was not a triggering event,” she said.
The dog did not alert on any object or vehicle, which was reassuring; however, Schwarz added, the search did not cover the entire campus; only portions of the school and vehicle were searched. But in the areas that were searched, the canine did not alert on any object or vehicle.
When the dog was on break, an illegal substance was planted. When the officer and dog returned, the dog located the substance, so it was determined that the dog was “working” effectively.
Schwarz concluded, “It is reassuring that the dog did not alert, but, because the dog only searched portions of the school, it does not guarantee there are not illegal substances on campus.
“We remain dedicated to providing a safe and drug-free environment for our students and will periodically have canine searches,” she said.
Schwarz thanked the law enforcement officials, faculty, and the students, for their cooperation. She encouraged anyone with questions about the search to contact her at (218) 387-2271.
Leave a Reply