News and Music Discovery
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Crittenden County Schools to Use K9 Drug Prevention Program

Crittenden County Schools officials have updated their drug prevention policy by adding random K9 searches of the schools.  Board of Education members voted to change the current random drug testing policy this week. Director of Pupil Personnel Al Starnes says there were growing drug problems at the school despite random tests. The board hopes the K9 program will be a better deterrent. Starnes says,

“We’re looking for their dogs to come in, and they sniff all kinds of drugs and not just marijuana… cocaine, but prescription drugs. They sniff that, alcohol, weapons. So we’re just trying to provide a safe environment, as safe as we could possibly provide.”

Starnes says the dogs will visit 18 times a year and cost about $9,000 dollars; A thousand dollars less than the current program. He says the Crittenden County Drug Coalition will pay for the first year of the program, with the savings possibly being used to install a surveillance system at the school. Starnes says the board is undecided on keeping the existing random testing policy.

Shelly Baskin works in MSU's Office of Regional Outreach and is a graduate student in Occupational Safety and Health. A roustabout from Memphis, Tennessee, Shelly first found his way into WKMS through the newsroom back in 2011 through luck, charm and force of will. Though he left news for another position, he still enjoys working on independent radio projects and volunteering for the station. He’s an avid disc golfer and occasional real golfer and is terrible at both. A lover of all things musical, Shelly is always ready to hear something new and unique.
Related Content