Andover High Principal: Drug Sweeps 'May Occur At Any Time'

ANDOVER, MA — Andover High School Principal Philip Conrad wrote to parents Tuesday warning them that the school, working with police and prosecutors, may conduct random drug sweeps, using drug-sniffing dogs, without notice. Conrad said drug use in Andover and nearby has "increased dramatically." "To clearly communicate our expectations," Conrad laid out procedures the school has established for random drug sweeps.

The letter names heroin, opioids, cannabis and alcohol among illicit substances, and says the usage of illegal drugs has "increased dramatically in Andover and surrounding communities."

School policy bans vapes and vape accessories "since vapes can also function as drug paraphernalia and can contain cannabis, hash oil, and other substances such as THC oil," according to the handbook. Last month, Conrad said in another letter to parents that the school has confiscated an "alarming number" of vape pens recently.

"The goal of a search is not to “catch people” or “scare students” but rather to serve as a deterrent, reinforce our educational efforts with regard to illicit drugs, and send a clear message that illegal drugs are not tolerated in our school," Conrad said about random sweeps.

The letter continues:

"The following procedures will be used as part of site-based canine sweeps.

Andover High School will determine the need for a law enforcement canine sweep at Andover High School in cooperation with the Andover Police Department, Essex County District Attorney’s Office, and the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council.

Sweeps may occur at any time and will be unannounced.
The school will utilize its lockdown protocols while conducting sweeps of the interior of the building.
Students will be kept in classrooms.
If a classroom is to be searched, students will be removed from the classroom prior to a search being conducted.
Note: Sweeps can include all interior spaces, lockers, backpacks, exterior grounds surrounding the school, and the student parking lot at Andover High School.

Protocols for Positive Hits:
As part of the sweep, if a canine positively identifies (hits) a student’s belongings, the student, car, locker, or belongings will be searched consistent with federal and state law, as well as School Committee policies and the Andover High School Student Handbook.
If the search does not reveal any physical evidence of an illegal substance, the student’s parents will be contacted by the school administration indicating that the canines positively identified their child’s person, clothing, locker, backpack/belongings or car as having evidence of drugs. No discipline will be assigned to the student.
If the student is in possession of an illegal substance, including alcohol, the student will be subject to the disciplinary procedures and consequences outlined in our Andover High School Student/Parent Handbook."