Officers, Canine Units Conduct Sweep At Canton Middle/High School

Canton police officers, assisted by canine units from Southington and Meriden, conducted a sweep at Canton Middle/High School Wednesday morning.

No illegal substances were found and the school district has issued the following release: 

"On Wednesday, May 8, 2013, the Canton Police Department provided police canine teams to conduct a drug sweep at Canton High School and Canton Middle School at 76 Simonds Avenue.  

Police canine teams from the Southington and Meriden Police Departments assisted in the drug sweep.  

In April, Canton School Superintendent, Kevin D. Case requested the assistance from the Canton Police Department, as part of the overall concept to ensure a safe environment for students in and around the school.  
The drug-sniffing canines were brought through the common areas of the school:  hallways, bathrooms, lockers, and locker rooms.  No students were subject to the search. 

The sweep lasted 24 minutes while the students were in their second period class. No illegal substances were found during this sweep." (end release)

In November, the Board of Education approved the possibility of a canine-assisted drug/alcohol sweep, according to school policy, during the 2012-2013 school year.

That action had been approved in past years but an actual sweep had not been conducted since June of 2008. That action resulted in a lawsuit. According to this Associated Press-run story at Boston.com, a lawsuit was filed by a group of parents in 2009.

According to the article and other media coverage the school successfully defended the suit in lower courts. According to media reports, the main plaintiff appealed to the Connecticut Supreme Court, which eventually dismissed the case, in part because the student central to it had already graduated.

At the November meeting, Case said district requirements for a sweep had been accomplished, such as inclusion of the policy in the student handbook and announcements to all students at the beginning of the year.