Drug Sweep at Hillsborough High School

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Police officers and drug-sniffing dogs went through Hillsborough High School as part of a impromptu drug sweep on Friday.

"Illegal drugs have no place in a school setting, where students’ health and safety are the first priority, followed closely by establishing an environment that is conducive to learning," Hillsborough High School Principal Karen A. Bingert said. "In an effort to reinforce the importance of this drug-free climate, Hillsborough High School is currently participating in a drug sweep."

"More importantly, this is being done to very clearly indicate that such a search may happen at any time as a definitive message that drugs have no place at HHS and as a deterrent for bringing drugs on campus in the future. The school has participated in similar sweeps in the past and hopes that this process has the same beneficial outcomes as we have seen previously," Bingert continued.

The sweep was done in conjunction with the Hillsborough Township Police Department, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, and other specialized officers and K-9 units.

The search was announced during first period where students were placed in a modified lockdown in their classrooms as police officers and K-9 units searched the school building, parking lot, lockers, locker rooms, and randomly selected classrooms.

If students were in a room that was going to be searched, they were moved into another room and moved out of sight of the K-9 unit. The students never came in contact with or were searched by the dogs.

School resumed to a normal schedule when the sweep finished.

"Schools are microcosms of all society, and, as such, drugs can find their way into any school, just as they can into any family or workplace," Bingert said. "Within our curriculum, policies, and code of conduct are measures that are taken to prevent drug usage and when drugs have been discovered. There are also multiple support systems that exist within our school to help students lead drug-free lives. This drug sweep is one more step that can be taken to keep drugs out of Hillsborough High School to the greatest extent possible."

Calls to the Hillsborough Police Department were not immediately returned regarding if any drugs were found at the school and if any students were arrested

(Image via Morguefile)

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