Buzzby

Dog Patrols School For Illegal Substances
Sandra E. Constantine | The Republican | 09/28/2005

GRANBY - The newest member of the Police Department is a playful, 19-month-old Labrador retriever who is being used to sniff out drugs at Granby Junior-Senior High School. Ralph, who works with School Resource Officer Kurt A. Carpenter, is a friendly black dog who is constantly wagging his tail.

"He's just so personable. He's extremely friendly. Everybody who sees him just falls in love with him immediately," Carpenter said during a recent interview at the school.

Ralph accompanies Carpenter walking around the school and has the ability to sniff out marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines in lockers and parked cars. Ralph has been on the police force with Carpenter since mid-August and has already sniffed out narcotics while out on routine motor vehicle stops.

Carpenter spent three weeks being trained with Ralph this summer at the Tarheel Canine Academy in Sanford, N.C. Ralph already had eight weeks of training before Carpenter joined him.

The police officer said Ralph was trained to identify drugs by learning to play with a length of pipe, his only toy. In training, the pipe was stuffed with narcotics so the dog sniffs out drugs because he associates their odor with being able to play with a toy.

Carpenter said the dog's sense of smell is so strong he can smell the individual ingredients in a cake like the sugar and flour.

Ralph lives with Carpenter and gets along well with the officer's other pets, a Great Dane and two cats, according to Carpenter.

Police Chief Louis M. Barry said his department chose to get a less aggressive breed of dog like a Labrador retriever because he would be around students.

"He's a baby. He's very playful. He's not the least bit aggressive," Barry said.

So far, the dog has gotten along well with students, according to police.

Barry said the department acquired Ralph to deter drug use and discourage students from bringing narcotics to school.

Principal Mary A. McDowell said she does not believe the school has a drug problem as only one person was caught on school grounds with drugs over the last year.

"This is a pro-active move to keep drugs out. If it keeps drugs out of the school, it is worth every penny," McDowell said.

Ralph was purchased for $5,500 with funds raised from local groups like the Lions Club and the town's DARE program.

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freethemind

What about guns I here more about kids taken guns to school then I do drugs. Guns kill marijuana dont.

Buzzby

Guns, being made of steel, don't have a distinctive smell that dogs can detect. Many schools where there is a problem with students bringing in weapons have metal detector check points at entrances.

antihero

i know my school has dogs that patrol around looking 4 drugs. and some people have been caught. not me .

Stephanie S.

I concur. School+Drugs=Bad News

peace

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