DOG PROGRAM GETS HIGH MARKS.

Byline: Orith Goldberg Staff Writer

Canines sniffing their way to drugs, alcohol and gun powder in Santa Clarita's high schools and junior highs have been so successful that officials want them back in the fall.

Since the William S. Hart High School District employed the Modesto-based Kontraband Interdiction and Detention Services for the 1998-99 school year, the canines have scored big with principals.

``I think the (program) has been a deterrent to the amount of drugs on campuses,'' said Valencia High School Principal Dave Priesz. ``What it's done is stop students from bringing them to school.''

The Hart board will consider a recommendation tonight to renew a $17,000 contract with Kontraband for the next school year. The money would come from school safety funds.

Accompanied by their handlers, one or two dogs have trotted onto the district's four junior high schools, four high schools and continuation high school randomly and unannounced, sniffing cars, lockers and classrooms for drugs, alcohol, weapons and explosives.

At Arroyo Seco Middle School, students have been asked to leave their personal belongings in the classrooms while the canines walk through. The visibility of the dogs informs students that there are consequences to bringing prohibited items to school, said school principal Jacque Snyder.

About 16 percent of the canines' detections in their first year resulted in the discovery of illicit drugs, 3 percent resulted in the detection of alcohol and 60 percent resulted in the detection of residual odors from drugs, alcohol or other prohibited items.

Seventeen percent of the discoveries involved detections of unknown odors. No explosives or pyrotechnics were found.

Four percent of the dogs' discoveries resulted in the detection of prohibited items including tobacco, gang-related items and weapons.

Eighty-three percent of the detections that were from a residual or unknown odor confirmed that a student was in prior possession of a prohibited item.

In cases involving residual odors, officials notified parents and opened up the lines of communication between parents and students, said Michael von Buelow, the district's assistant superintendent of personnel.

``A lot of times parents are not aware of problems until they come up,'' von Buelow said. ``This is an effort to help us get a jump on (problems).''

Snyder recalled a past incident when a canine reacted to a residual odor, but there was nothing school officials could attribute it to after speaking with the student's parents. On another occasion, a backpack containing marijuana was found abandoned. It was unknown to whom the backpack belonged.

If a student is found to possess drugs, alcohol or weapons, sheriff's deputies are contacted and the school takes disciplinary actions according to the severity of the offense. Consequences for students can range from a mandatory transfer to a different school to expulsion, von Buelow said.

School officials said the canines have sent a powerful message to students and parents about the district's goal to head off potential problems at the schools.

``By and large, I'd say the community has been supportive of the program,'' he said. ``People like the fact that it's working to keep illegal substances off campus.''