Indexes
February 8th, 2010
February 6th, 2010
February 5th, 2010
February 4th, 2010
February 3rd, 2010
February 2nd, 2010
February 1st, 2010
The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.
- Will terrorists be given Miranda warnings? (72)
- President Obama's first year (67)
- Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts (64)
- Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future (60)
- Islamic symbol in mosaic — what is all the fuss? (49)
- Writer comments on Neely column (42)
- The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
- Many reject the politics of 'no' (37)
- Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen (31)
- Time to shed the convenient sham of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy (30)
ADVERTISEMENT
K.I.D.S. Inc. General Manager Sue Figaro instructs her dog, KC, to search for illegal substances in backpacks displayed on stage, as a demonstration for students and parents at Lodi Middle School on Wednesday night. (Angelina Gervasi/News-Sentinel)
Canines on campuses
Demonstration paves way for random contraband checks in local schools
The company contracted by Lodi Unified School District to sniff campuses for drugs, alcohol, weapons and gunpowder presented a demonstration and question-and-answer session at Lodi Middle School on Wednesday evening.
Sue Figueria, Kontraband Interdiction and Detection Services general manager, and Jerry Matt, the company's lead dog trainer and executive vice president, introduced a golden retriever named KC.
On the stage of the multipurpose room, Figueria led KC down a row of backpacks and purses. KC sniffed one, then hunted for her toy. She moved to the next one, and sat. She circled a second backpack and sat again.
The dogs don't actually know what alcohol, drugs or weapons are, Figueria said. Instead, they are continually hunting for their toy, a four-inch length of firehose stuffed with thick cotton batting.
She tossed the piece, or pretended to, and unzipped the bags to show what KC found: a miniature bottle of Jack Daniels, two shotgun shells. The crowd applauded.
K.I.D.S. dog handlers will soon conduct visits at each middle and high school campus until the end of the school year.
The canine program is the first here in at least 10 years. LUSD's school board adopted a policy allowing drug-sniffing dogs in 1998. K.I.D.S. operates similar programs in school districts throughout California and its trainers have 50 years combined police and canine training and drug enforcement experience.
The dogs are all Labrador or golden retrievers and are trained to simply sit down if they detect odors. They are not trained to detect odors from over-the-counter medications or tobacco.
Matt and Figueria stressed the program is not a "gotcha," and not meant to get kids in trouble. They want to keep schools safe, and deter students from using drugs and alcohol and from bringing illegal items to school.
"It helps students make good choices as far as what they're going to do on the weekends and who they will be hanging out with," Figueria said.
About 40 parents and students attended the first informational meeting a week ago at McNair High. The second was held Wednesday evening at Lodi Middle School, and again about 40 people showed up. The district did send letters home and used its mass calling system to notify parents. The talks were not posted on the district's Web site.
"This is something that's going to affect so many students, almost every household in Lodi," said Tokay High School campus security Ann Grether.
Sniffing at a glance
Dogs from Kontraband Interdiction and Detection Services will be sniffing lockers, gyms, vehicles, buses, vacated classrooms and school grounds at middle and high school campuses for potential contraband items.• If a dog alerts (sits) upon detecting an odor, the K.I.D.S. representative (dog handler) and school administrator notes which item is in question or which student the locker or vehicle belongs to.
• The student will be asked to go to a private location, such as an administrator's office.
• The student and administrator wait for the dog handler and dog to return to the office.
• The dog handler asks the student if they know why the odor may be present and if the student will give consent to have their property inspected by the K.I.D.S. representative.
• If the student agrees to the inspection, they unzip their backpack or bag and take off their shoes and jacket for the dog handler to look through.
• If the student refuses, the school district's board policy on searches takes effect. A search can take place if there are reasonable grounds or suspicion of finding illegal items.
• If illegal items are found the school takes over disciplinary action.
• Parents are called after their child is searched.
Sources: Kontraband Interdiction and Detection Services, Lodi Unified School District board policy 5415.12.
"I am surprised we didn't have a better turnout."
Some people had questions afterward but were generally supportive.
"I agree with it, they should get drugs out of the schools," said Joe Bartolomeu of Lockeford. "I don't think it will do anything. It all starts at home. If the parents do it, the kids will do it, just like drinking and everything else."
Linda Reichert smokes cigarettes and said her daughter is concerned about getting in trouble at school for "residual odors" left by the smoke.
"I was expecting more information about what the school does if a dog alerts. Now what?" Reichert said.
Rita Encinas of Lodi thought the presentation took some of the fear out of what the dogs will be doing.
"I think a lot of people are thinking they might get caught. On campus, it might help. As far as outside of campus, probably not," said her granddaughter Jesika Campos, 18, a senior at Lodi High.
Dogs are not permitted to sniff students. Figueria said this leads some to believe they can hide drugs in their shoes or pockets when leaving the classroom.
Figueria said a dog's sense of smell is 10,000 times more sensitive and 1,000 times more acute than a human's. She said 70 to 85 percent of alerts and ensuing inspections result in finding contraband items.
The dogs can pinpoint residual odors on chairs, desks, the floor or school supplies. For example, a dog may alert on a pencil used by a student who smoked a marijuana joint earlier that day, or the sleeve of a jacket that wasn't washed after alcohol spilled on it.
"As long as you don't have anything you're not supposed to have, you're not going to get in trouble," Figueria said.
Dogs will sniff areas chosen at random and by site administrators, such as lockers, classrooms and vehicles.
Dogs will not sniff items, work areas or vehicles used by staff. Lodi Unified is spending $12,920 on its contract with K.I.D.S.
Contact reporter Kendyce Manguchei at kendycem@lodinews.com.
First published: Thursday, February 22, 2007
Search for Ads 
Today’s Print Ads 
RSS Feeds
Reader Feedback
T & C wrote on Feb 22, 2007 3:03 PM:
Sad I missed it wrote on Feb 22, 2007 12:42 PM:
It's a "No Brainer students!!!! wrote on Feb 22, 2007 12:37 PM:
You Know Why wrote on Feb 22, 2007 12:04 PM:
Lodian wrote on Feb 22, 2007 10:52 AM:
Veronica wrote on Feb 22, 2007 9:31 AM:
T & C wrote on Feb 22, 2007 8:28 AM:
Comments on this story are now closed.