Fern Gulch Canine Services provides certified drug detection dogs to law enforcement, school districts, and corporations. Confidential residential searches are also available. The dogs are trained to respond to the odors of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and their derivatives.

In addition to drug detection dog searches, demand reduction programs such as school assemblies, supervisory and employee drug awareness programs can be scheduled.

Investigative services, such as covert surveillance and placement of undercover operatives, are occasionally necessary. We can coordinate such activity. We utilize digital and VHS video equipment, and 35mm cameras to document suspicious activity.

School Programs

Mission:
Our goal is to provide a drug free educational environment for your students and employees.

Purpose:
Using drug detection dogs in schools is a visible and accurate deterrent to the presence of illegal drugs. It is critical that a commitment be made for a comprehensive and continuing presence for such a program to succeed. We would be remiss in expecting that these efforts will stop the use of illegal drugs by students. We can, however, make the dealers feel uncomfortable and force them to seek places other than your schools to deal their drugs. It should be expected that drugs will be recovered during searches and policy to deal with such events should be in place.

Ultimately, these efforts should reflect less usage by the student who is a casual user or is participating in usage due to peer pressure. The fear of being identified as a drug user and possible discipline should prevail.

Policy:
It is imperative that a strict policy regarding contraband exist in student handbooks and employee guidelines. The policy should include the District’s right to search lockers, personal effects, and vehicles parked on District property, especially when reasonable suspicion exists that contraband is present. The positive alert by a certified drug detection dog would create such suspicion.

Searches:
The use of drug detection dogs can accurately identify locations where the odor of illegal drugs exists. The dogs are certified on marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and their derivatives. The residual odor from the previous presence of these substances is sufficient for the dogs to alert. The dogs work at a fairly rapid pace and can search large numbers of lockers and vehicles in a reasonable amount of time. Obviously, weather conditions can impair vehicle searches in parking lots. Once an alert by the dog occurs, school personnel can utilize policy and guidelines to proceed with their search. An additional application is using the dogs to search student baggage and other personal effects prior to district sponsored overnight trips. As concerns are strong about student behavior at proms and graduation parties, searches in close proximity to these events merits serious consideration.

Earlier, residual odor was mentioned. This is the odor that remains after an illegal drug was present. It is strongly recommended that searches commence in the weeks prior to the start of the fall semester, while lockers are empty. If residual odor is present, proper decontamination can be made. This will provide a baseline for future searches after the school year commences.

Searches should occur while students are in the building. Most drug dealers maintain close control of their contraband. After hours searches are excellent intelligence gathering tools, but seizures should not be expected.

Consideration should also be made to maintain a presence and search, if appropriate, at after hour events in the schools, particularly when these events include youths that are not district students.

Demand Reduction:
Demand Reduction is the government term for educating citizens about the use of illegal drugs. Assembly programs, staff in-service, and community programs should be considered to discuss the issues associated with the use and possession of illegal drugs. As part of such presentations, discussion would include the training and ability level of the dogs as well as an actual demonstration of detection. The introduction of a school search program should begin with an assembly. The purpose of such a program is to get the drugs out of the schools. By educating the students to the dogs’ ability level, many students will think twice about bringing drugs to school. More important is the fact that the administration cannot be criticized by parents and students about an unannounced search. Additionally, any students caught, after an assembly has been held, will not be able to draw much peer support. Video taping the assembly for rebroadcast on the district community access channel has also been well received. Fern Gulch Canine Services is a registered researcher licensed by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Drugs are concealed prior to the program for the dogs to locate. Programs have been conducted since 1988 for over 40,000 people.