Ark Valley News - City, district partner to bring drug-sniffing dog into schools

Valley Center City Council member Lou Cicirello pets Danny as he tallks to Officer Allen Adams.

City, district partner to bring drug-sniffing dog into schools
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: March 05, 2015

Danny started school this week.

The 2-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever spent the day March 2 at Valley Center Middle School and Intermediate School. And he's going back.

Every day, right alongside his handler, School Resource Officer Allen Adams.

Danny is a drug-sniffing dog with a friendly personality. He's in Valley Center schools as the result of a partnership between the City of Valley Center and the Valley Center school district.

"Students and staff loved it," Adams said. "Him? He was super stressed. … It was an adjustment for him. We had to de-stress him."

Police and school officials hope Danny's presence will deter students from bringing drugs to school. Danny is trained to detect cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana and heroin.

But more than that, Adams said he hopes Danny will become an inviting and comforting figure in Valley Center schools.

"The kids are excited," Adams said. "I'll get to the end of a hall and hear clear down at the other end of the hall, ‘Danny!' They're excited. They love him. They want to pet him. The bigger prize at the high school will be the deterrent. The bigger prize at the middle and the intermediate schools will be the socialization."

Adams said he plans to have Danny make regular locker checks at the middle and intermediate schools during the rest of the school year. He'll also take the dog to the high school when asked. During the summer months, when school is not in session and Adams returns to regular police duties, Danny will be used on routine patrol shifts in the city.

Danny can sniff around stopped vehicles. If the dog "hits" on the scent of drugs, it's enough probable cause to search a vehicle, Adams said.

Adams met Danny at a canine training center in Spring Branch, Texas, last month. Adams worked with three other dogs before he chose Danny for his personality and "incredible nose."

Adams said Danny proved to be a talented drug dog, easily passing certification tests in Texas.

Adams said the plan to get a drug dog started at the suggestion of intermediate school Principal Greg Lehr, who asked Adams why the Valley Center Police Department didn't have one.

"I'm excited," Lehr said. "I think it's a great opportunity for not only the schools, but also for the community and the police department to have Danny as a resource."

Lehr said Danny will be used primarily to interact with students.

"I like to emphasize relationships," he said. "If a dog is the one thing a student looks forward to seeing every day, I'm good with that."

The intermediate school, which has fifth- and sixth-grade students, also has a therapy dog, Rudy, who has been coming to school every day for the past few weeks.

Adams said he researched training centers and found one in Colorado that looked promising. When that didn't pan out, he discovered the Texas operation. After working out a cost, Adams hit the road the next day. He brought Danny to Kansas 10 days later.

Danny will test to be certified through the Kansas K-9 Officers Association next month.

The school district and the city each paid one half of the $5,500 cost of the dog and training.

Danny also went to a Valley Center City Council meeting at City Hall March 3. Adams introduced the dog to council members and city staff.

The council praised Adams and the department.

In other business March 3, the council:

•Approved the purchase of a new truck for the city water department for $23,000. The truck will replace one that was totaled in a wreck in January, when it was hit from behind while parked in the 1100 block of South Meridian. The city received an insurance settlement of about $9,500.

•Met in executive session for 25 minutes to discuss personnel. When the council returned to open session, it voted 6-0 to approve a two-year contract extension for City Administrator Joel Pile. He will be paid $101,000 per year.

•Learned that Chief Mark Hephner had hired an officer to fill one of two open positions. The new officer will start training at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center next week.

•Learned that April 18 will be city-wide spring cleanup day.

•Learned that construction on the Ford and Meridian drainage and street reconstruction project will start March 16.

•Heard council member Lou Cicirello ask city staff to look into the possibility of placing stop signs at the intersection of Meadow and Goff in the Valley Meadows neighborhood. Pile said staff would discuss it.