High Schools Come up Clean in Drug Sweep

A drug sweep at Ramapo and Indian Hills high schools Wednesday morning came up empty.

K-9 units deployed by the Bergen County Police Department inspected students' lockers at both schools, but no drugs or other contraband were found, said Sheri Hensley, the county's director of communications.

The district administration was not caught unaware, and the Bergen police do not do random sweeps, although Hensley said the "county does this from time to time." However, the K-9 units are only deployed when the police get a specific request from schools themselves. Hensley said an administration's request is reviewed by the police, who forward it to the prosecutor's office for clearance.

Indian Hills Principal Al Evangelista said the schools have such sweeps twice a year "to keep drugs out of the schools." He said the department's presence Wednesday was only a "minor interruption. It wasn't a big deal."

Ramapo Principal Dr. Louis Moore said some children were removed from classrooms and taken to the auditorium during the sweep, which occurred during the second and third periods of the school day. However, the police operation interrupted first marking period testing, which Moore and Evangelista said would resume and conclude Monday. The schools are closed Thursday and Friday, coinciding with the New Jersey Education Association convention in Atlantic City.

Report cards also will be delayed due to the suspension of testing. Teachers will get more time to wrap up the first marking period, and report cards will be mailed on Nov. 17.

Moore referred other inquiries to Superintendent Dr. C. Lauren Schoen, who did not return a call for comment.

Hensley said the sweep only targeted lockers. There were five dogs, who each had a police handler. Essentially, the dogs are led up and down the hallways, sniffing out any illegal materials. However, the police would not be able to remove contraband and charge a student if something had been found. Hensley said if a dog keys on a specific locker, the police can only point it out to the school administration, who would then decide how to handle the situation. She said the county cops could not open a secured locker without a search warrant.

The communications director also said that the K-9 unit is deployed six to 10 times a year in response to requests from Bergen County schools.