Schools
Superintendent Wants to Use Drug-Sniffing Dogs at Highland Park High School
Chris Dignam made the recommendation to the District 113 school board after conferring with police chiefs.
HIGHLAND PARK, DEERFIELD, IL - Police dogs could soon be used to check for drugs at Deerfield and Highland Park high schools after District 113 Superintendent Chris Dignam recommended the notion to reduce the likelihood of students bringing drugs and alcohol to school.
Dignam made the decision to recommend the item to the board of education after conferring with police chiefs from area municipalities, according to a Highland Park News report.
"We feel strongly that this is one area of security that is missing in the high schools," said Highland Park Police Chief Paul Shafer.
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Dignam said he believes dog searches are not as intrusive as they have been in previous decades.
The apparent move by District 113 is in contrast to a decision made by both principals in the Glenbrook School District 225. In a recent presentation to the D-225 board, both the principals at Glenbrook North and Glenbrook South high schools said it was the “trust factor” in not recommending a similar program there.
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District 113 is expected to hire a private firm to conduct the searches.
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