The Board of Education voted Monday to approve a policy allowing a drug-sniffing dog to enter Seymour Public Schools to search for drugs and other illegal substances.
Police spokesman Lt. Paul Satkowski said the department and school officials worked together on the idea of bringing in the police department’s canine unit, consisting of Officer Todd Romagna and Havoc, a 7‑year-old German Shepherd, to search for drugs on school grounds.
The dog will search property, but will not search people, Satkowski said.
Romagna and Havoc have been a team for six years, Satkowski said, and Havoc is trained to sniff out “seven or eight” illegal drugs, including marijuana and cocaine.
The canine unit has visited the high school previously for educational purposes.
“The dog is basically another tool and a resource to combat any illegal substances being brought on to school property,” he said. “We liken it to the breathalyzer. Kids know that type of activity is not going to be allowed on school property.”
The district and police want to try and get drugs out of Seymour High School.
Superintendent MaryAnne Mascolo said the district has expelled students for possession of drugs on school grounds.
She did not have an official figure during Monday’s meeting, but said drugs have been an issue in the past.
“The board wanted to do it as a preventative measure,” Mascolo said.
As part of the policy, Satkowski said students and the public would be notified of the date of the first search.
Future search dates will not be made public, but Satkowski said the police would work with school officials whenever another search is going to be conducted.
Board Chairman Bruce Baker said allowing police dogs to search for drugs should be “a great deterrent” in keeping drugs off school grounds and hopefully away from children.
The policy will not take effect for 30 days, Mascolo said, and the district will inform parents of the policy via letters sent home with students and the Connect-Ed telephone alert system.
“We’re giving everyone fair warning, if you will, to say, ‘Hey, this is the way it’s going to be from here on in.’” he said. “We’re just trying to be proactive.”
Board members voted 6 – 1 to pass the measure. James Garafolo cast the only no vote.
Fred Stanek abstained, saying school board attorney Frederick Dorsey should review the policy further.
