Can Drug Sniffing Dogs Keep Schools Safe?

Did you know that, according to one study, hidden drugs were correctly identified 87.7% of the time by drug-sniffing dogs? Keep in mind that these were police-trained drug dogs. So, they received in-depth training to help them develop their sense of smell and abilities.

However, the point is that efficacy is part of why drug-sniffing dogs are becoming increasingly popular in school settings. They offer a great way to keep our children safe from drugs. These highly-trained canines are great at detecting illegal substances and often work unnoticed. 

However, are they great for all schools? Can they keep schools safe, or are additional measures needed? Let's explore how exactly drug-sniffing dogs work. Then, we'll consider their effectiveness in public schools.

Are Sniffer Dogs Legal in Schools?

Let's start by answering a question we get a lot. Are drug dogs legal in school settings? Yes, they're legal. 

This is supported by the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable search and seizure. However, since students do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy at school, it's legal to use drug sniffer dogs. It may seem invasive, sure, but sniffer dogs can help provide an added layer of safety throughout the school environment.

What Do Drug-Sniffing Dogs Do?

Drug-sniffing dogs are highly-trained dogs. They're uniquely trained to detect both illegal and prescription drugs. In the drug detection training, these four-legged heroes undergo an extensive process where they learn to associate certain drug odors with rewards.

During their training, the drug-sniffing dogs are exposed to the scents of various drug mixtures. When they successfully identify them, they are lavished with praise and treats, reinforcing their actions. With this kind of rigorous reinforcement, drug-sniffing dogs become amazingly adept at sniffing illegal narcotics and other drugs.

However, what happens when they walk through a school setting? It varies depending on the school and the K9 dogs you're working with. Usually, the process starts with the dog searching through different places, such as lockers and classrooms.

The drug-sniffing dog relies on its keen sense of smell to identify drug substances. It will alert its handler or trainer with specific signs if it picks up anything suspicious. These signs could include barking, pawing at an object, or sitting next to a suspected area.

After the drug-sniffing dog finishes their search, the trainer can take further steps to identify any found drug substances properly. School administrators or local police can then take further action.

Benefits of Drug-Sniffing Dogs in School

Drug-sniffing dogs in schools can be invaluable tools in keeping drug use out of the classroom. These trained dogs can sniff illegal and legal substances, ensuring a safe learning environment. The presence of drug-sniffing dogs also serves as an important reminder to students that drug use is not tolerated in any form. Let's explore each benefit more in-depth.

Prevention

With sniffer dogs roaming through school campuses, students know they must abide by the laws or risk getting caught and having serious consequences. This helps prevent drug issues on campus before they ever occur. Sometimes, just the idea that a drug dog might visit is enough to deter most students from bringing drugs to school or selling them with others.

Detection

As mentioned above, drug-sniffing dogs help detect both legal and illegal substances. This means you can also identify students carrying prescription drugs or alcohol. While these substances are legal for adults to possess, it's important to ensure your students aren't carrying them or bringing them to school to introduce them to others.

Child Safety

While children might bring drugs to school to use, sometimes they're carrying them for parents or other family members. It's important to ensure the safety of all children by ensuring your campus is drug-free, sure. However, it's also important to ensure the safety of children as it relates to their home life.

You can identify at-risk children if you use drug-sniffing dogs in school to detect those carrying legal or illegal substances. In some cases, these children might carry the drugs for their parents. In other cases, they might have drugs and other substances to protect their parents from using them. Either way, drug-sniffing dogs can help identify at-risk children.

Trafficking Rings

It's not always the parents' fault. While it isn't that common, drug-sniffing dogs can sometimes alert authorities to children caught inside drug trafficking rings. Often, these children might be in possession of drugs as they're forced to traffic them for older adults or family members.

If this is the case, these children aren't likely to come forward and let a teacher or principal know about the problem. However, if K9 dogs catch them, they might feel more willing to speak to an adult about the issue and find solace in the safety of the law.

Get K9 Detection Services

At 3DK9, providing safe and secure environments for our clients is of utmost importance. We understand that this is especially true in school settings. It's why we offer K9 security services dedicated to keeping your loved ones as safe as possible.

Our canine detection services are dependable and accurate. They provide peace of mind and a sense of safety to all who rely on them. Using trained teams, we offer an array of services such as explosive, weapon, and narcotic sweeps designed to integrate into the operations of schools nationwide.

With 3DK9's drug-sniffing dogs on the job, you can trust us to protect what matters most: your children and students. Contact us today to discuss how we can help your school improve its safety.