Dog detects traces of drugs at hostel of Boys' High

A police drug-sniffer dog detected traces of drugs in a search of a Whangarei Boys' High School boarding hostel.
Three students have been spoken to. 
Principal Al Kirk said although no actual drugs were found, the sniffer dog was capable of detecting whether cannabis had been consumed in the past and the substance might have lingered for a number of years.
The school's newsletter  said the school  had requested police and their drug dogs do random searches of the school. The first search of the year was held on February 16, after a police presentation.
The dog that carried out the search detected an area in Carruth boarding hostel where  drugs had been either stored or consumed.

  Mr Kirk said the dog picked up traces of drugs which could have been present a "number of years ago".
One of the three boys had since left the hostel and the two others were helping staff with their inquiries. Police dogs had been brought to Whangarei Boys' High School from Auckland "for years", Mr Kirk said. "Ideally we'd like to have them three or four times a year but it depends on when they're available."
Whangarei secondary schools had an agreement with youth alcohol and drug support service Rubicon to test students.
Mr Kirk said the system was highly successful and unique to Northland. "It works if all schools do it - otherwise students will move from school to school as an escape."
If students brought drugs to school for dealing purposes, they would be suspended by the board, Mr Kirk said.
"But if they are involved in smoking or weird behaviour, with parental permission, we'll test them."
A student would then be put on a one-year  Rubicon contract and tested a number of times each year. If they chose not to take part in the contract they would have to front  the school board. Unless the reading for drugs was negative or dramatically reduced, the consequences would be severe, Mr Kirk said.
"It's a second-chance option. In this day and age we're more realistic that boys make mistakes but we're prepared to give them the opportunity to learn."
Rubicon manager Jenny Gibbs said the contract gave young people the opportunity to deal with their drug problem while maintaining an education.
"If they have a positive test we look at the trigger behind it.
"Young people see it as a peer pressure tool. If they're offered drugs they tell their friends - I can't I'm on Rubicon, and they know what that means."
Whangarei Boys' had received no complaints  and most parents appreciated the effort to make the school environment drug free, Mr Kirk said. "If a parent were to take a philosophical stand they may have difficulty persuading the board and management it's the right way to go. If a student is not doing anything wrong, then what's the problem?"
The Ministry of Education could not be reached for comment.