Board Policy 3065

Policy Concerning the Use of Drug-Detecting Dogs

  1. To assure the maintenance of a drug-free school environment, the School District may use drug-detecting dogs to discover narcotics and dangerous drugs concealed in school property assigned to students and in student vehicles parked on school property. Any student who uses a school locker or drives a vehicle to school is deemed to have consented to such search. If a drug-detecting dog alerts its handler to a student locker, then an immediate search of the locker can take place. If a drug-detecting dog alerts its handler to a student vehicle parked on School District property, the Superintendent or his designee will request the student owner/operator to unlock the vehicle for a further search. If a minor student refuses to unlock his or her vehicle, school personnel will contact the student’s parent or guardian. Illegal items or other possessions or substances reasonably determined to be a threat to the safety or security of others may be seized by school authorities. These items will immediately be turned over to law enforcement officials for disposition as they see fit. A student who refuses to unlock his or her vehicle or who refuses to turn over items discovered as the result of a search may be suspended for such refusals. The person conducting the search of a vehicle shall prepare a report to be maintained by the Director including the date, time, place, names of witnesses, purpose, basis, and result of the search.

  2. The School District will only utilize a drug-detecting dog to sniff a student’s person based upon a “reasonable suspicion.” In determining whether reasonable suspicion exists, the School District will utilize the factors identified in its Student Search and Seizure Policy. If the School District finds that a reasonable suspicion exists for such a search, it will conduct the search.

  3. The School District may also properly use drug-detecting dogs to discover narcotics and dangerous drugs in empty classrooms, hallways or other areas in which students are not present.

Adopted October 19, 1992
Amended May 14, 2018