The Chelsea Standard
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Surprise search sends message
Police find BB gun, drug residue in sweeps at schools
By Steve Ricci and Heather Connor, Staff Writers
PUBLISHED: April 28, 2005
Although it yielded little in terms of contraband or armaments, Chelsea Police Chief Scott Sumner said last Thursday that he was pleased with a surprise drug and weapons sweep of Chelsea High School, Beach Middle School and the Washington Street Education Center April 15.
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Sumner said the sweep — a joint effort between the Chelsea Police Department, the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office and the Michigan State Police —evidenced seamless cooperation of local police agencies. He also said it sent a clear message to students and staff that drugs and weapons will not be tolerated on school property.
"The ultimate goal is to keep drugs out of school, and to prosecute those who bring drugs," Sumner said.
Sumner credited Chelsea School District Superintendent Dave Killips for taking a zero-tolerance stance on drugs and for his style of working with police to enforce the policy.
Sumner said his goal is to execute the surprise drug sweeps two to three times in a given school year.
Police inform Killips of the sweeps 15 minutes before they take place, Sumner said.
The April 15 sweeps started during the schools' first hours and concluded by second hour.
A total of seven drug-sniffing dogs from the various police agencies participated, while a team of narcotics officers assisted in securing parking lots.
Two simultaneous sweeps took place at Chelsea High School and at the alternative education program at the Washington Street Education Center. Fifteen minutes later, the dragnet hit Beach Middle School.
Students at all schools were locked into whatever rooms they were in when the sweeps started, as undercover officers ensured no one entered or left the buildings.
Chelsea freshman Michael Kundak said teachers conducted class as usual during the search. An announcement was made over the public address system informing teachers and students as to what was going on.
Students were not allowed to use the restrooms during the search, Kundak said.
Vague rumors were going around among students that a search would happen, but no one knew when it would happen, he said.
Kundak's mother, Jennifer, said narcotics use is growing in the schools. She was involved in a parent group called the Chelsea Community Family Network. Formed six years ago, the group worked with the district and other community groups to bring awareness of risky behavior local youth are participating in.
The group recently dissolved, but Jennifer Kundak said she is glad the sweeps were done because the risky behavior continues. The sweeps prove the administration and teachers understand the problem, she said.
While former Chelsea Police Chief Lenard McDougall led several drug searches, Sumner said he intends to step up the efforts in response to increasing drug use.
"The information I'm getting is that kids can get (hallucinate) mushrooms, marijuana, OxyContin, acid and methamphetamine at the lunchroom easier than they can get a Mountain Dew from a pop machine," Sumner said.
"They're going to school to get an education … not to peddle or buy drugs."
Sumner said that although the sweeps were entirely initiated by the Chelsea Police Department, they were prompted by Killips' recent reports to police of heavy narcotics use at Chelsea High School.
"We want to send a message: You don't know when the raids are coming, and if you're caught with drugs, you will be prosecuted by the law and the school district," Sumner said.
While the dogs searched for drugs inside the schools, they also searched all cars parked on school lots, including vehicles driven by teachers and other staff members.
Sumner said that under law, there is no expectation of privacy for lockers or vehicles parked on school property.
During the sweeps, two dogs must independently smell drugs before a locker or car is searched.
If drugs are found, students who are younger than 17 are called to meet with police and their parents. Police can interview students 17 years and older without parents present, Sumner said. Disciplinary measures are more effective when parents are involved, he said.
Parents may be held liable if their children are caught with drugs and they know that their kids are using them, Sumner said.
Any minors caught with narcotics would face mandatory prosecution in juvenile court, he said.
"The goal is not to intimidate or scare anybody. It's to let our presence inform people that drugs pose a risk," Sumner said.
The recent sweep found a BB gun at the Washington Street Education Center and narcotics residue on articles of clothing owned by a few students at Chelsea High School.
The school district handled the BB gun violation. Police questioned the students who had residue on their clothing and notified their parents, Sumner said.
Teresa Zigman, executive director of business and operations, said depending on what is found, students can face anything from a day's suspension up to expulsion for drug and weapons violations, as per the student handbook at each building.
Beach Middle School Principal Andrew Ingall sent a letter home to parents after the sweep to explain what happened.
Ingall said in the letter the dogs did "hit" on a few lockers with scents, but no illegal substances were found in the school.
Many parents were pleased the police department and school district coordinated the sweep.
"I loved that the raids took place and hope and pray that they continue, randomly each quarter," parent Deb Schemelz said.
Kellie Hill said her son, a Beach Middle School pupil, and other students were not scared or confused by the sweep. They knew what was going on and were warned months before by Ingall that a sweep may take place.
"Knowing the school was free of drugs was a relief felt by all, including the students," Hill said. "The students I talked to didn't feel violated or feel that the search was unwarranted."
Sumner said he is currently talking with the school district about installing a school liaison officer in the district next school year. The position would be a full-time job for a Chelsea police officer.
The officer would work in all schools, with all ages of students, and would have a variety of duties, including providing safety in schools, attending sporting events, enforcing drug policy, educating and problem-solving.
Educational efforts would address weapon and drug use, as well as sexual harassment.
"We'll have to work out how it would be funded," Sumner said of the liaison officer. "We would expect to see immediate results. The officer would have a background in education and would be a mentor to kids."
The officer would fill a void created when Chelsea police stopped its Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in the district in 2003.
The sweep cost the Chelsea Police Department two days worth of overtime pay, Sumner said.
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