Sandpoint High Searched For Drugs, Paraphernalia Dogs, Officers Find Nothing During Locker-By-Locker Check

Five drug-sniffing dogs and seven police officers searched student lockers at Sandpoint High School Monday, but came up empty-handed.

The dogs alerted on about 30 of the 1,100 lockers. The locks were cut and those lockers searched, but no drugs or drug paraphernalia were found.

“I’m going to argue it indicates the students, staff and district have worked hard to make the school a place where drugs are not stored or distributed,” said principal A.C. Woolnough who requested the surprise search.

Monday’s locker-by-locker check was done while students were out of school. Teachers had an in-service day, and students were off.

“Granted, it was the end of a three-day weekend for students. But this tells me drugs are not being stored in lockers,” Woolnough said.

The search was the fourth in five months at Bonner County schools. Clark Fork High School, Sandpoint Middle School and Lake Pend Oreille Alternative High School were all previously searched. About four students at the middle school were suspended after some marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found during a search in November.

Assistant Superintendent Jim Fisher said the district allows searches requested by a principal, if the superintendent authorizes them.

Fisher expects a few complaints about the random search, but suspects most of the community will support the effort, as in the past.

“We just want to send the message that drugs will not be tolerated on school grounds,” he said.

Drug dogs from the city, Bonner County Sheriff’s Department and the Idaho State Police assisted in the search. The group spent about three hours going through the school. Woolnough said about 15 locks were cut and have been replaced.

The district purposely chose to conduct the search while students were gone. During last fall’s search at the middle school, students were locked down in classrooms for about three hours.

“One of my priorities was minimal disruption to the educational process,” Woolnough said. “I didn’t want students and teachers locked in classrooms for three hours.”

Sandpoint High School officials said the search will not end its crackdown on drugs. There may be additional random searches, further searches of lockers the dogs alerted on Monday and searches of cars in the parking lot.

“We are doing our best to keep drugs off campus, and this has been a reassuring first step,” Woolnough said.