Post by Adam on Jan 9, 2007 16:30:21 GMT -5
This story really pisses me off. First the city wastes money to put cops into school for an entire semester only to bust a few kids for smoking pot. And to make matters worse, the cops are going to try to have these kids kicked out of school. Way to go! Way to make our society safer...
www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070104/news_7m4busted.html
Drug sting snags 15 students
Arrests are made at 2 high schools
By Karen Kucher and Mark Arner
STAFF WRITERS
January 4, 2007
Fifteen students at University City and Patrick Henry high schools were arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs yesterday, culminating a four-month investigation into drug use on campus.
Besides facing criminal charges, each student will be recommended for expulsion, said Don Braun, chief of the San Diego Unified School District's police department.
San Diego police said two students had marijuana when they were detained.
Two San Diego police officers posed as students during the fall semester at the two campuses. They bought drugs on or near school, including prescription pain medication, marijuana, ecstasy and psilocybin, otherwise known as magic mushrooms, police said.
At University City High, police arrested eight boys and one girl, ranging in age from 15 to 17.
At Patrick Henry, in San Carlos, six male students, ages 15 to 18, were arrested.
Authorities said they also want an arrest warrant for a boy who transferred from University City to a school in Ohio.
The arrests were made without incident and the operation “was very smooth,” said school district spokeswoman Ursula Kroemer.
The students were first contacted in their classes and asked to go to a counselor's office. They were then handcuffed by police, officials said.
The superintendent knew about the investigation from the start; principals at both schools learned about it Tuesday, Kroemer said.
“On one hand, it is a little bit (of) startling information. On the other hand, it is keeping with our zero-tolerance policy,” she said. “One thing we can say is we think the arrests send a very clear message: We don't tolerate drug use, possession or selling on campus.”
Undercover officers bought 6.3 grams – less than a quarter ounce – of marijuana, 5 ecstasy pills, 6.4 grams of mushrooms and 12 pain pills.
Three students were on probation for drug-related offenses and several were repeat offenders, police said.
Police will be seeking charges of possession of narcotics and possession of narcotics for sale. Some students might be charged with selling drugs in and around a school.
Acting San Diego police Capt. Shelley Zimmerman declined to say whether similar operations are under way at other district campuses.
She said no other arrests were expected from yesterday's operation.
Zimmerman said the operation was launched in response to citizen complaints and an anonymous letter about drug activity in schools. She declined to say what schools were mentioned in the letter.
Police learned from the investigation that campus drug-dealing was common knowledge for some students.
“There certainly is a network on campus, where students know who is dealing drugs,” Zimmerman said.
Karen Kucher: (619) 293-1350; karen.kucher@uniontrib.com
www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070104/news_7m4busted.html
Drug sting snags 15 students
Arrests are made at 2 high schools
By Karen Kucher and Mark Arner
STAFF WRITERS
January 4, 2007
Fifteen students at University City and Patrick Henry high schools were arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs yesterday, culminating a four-month investigation into drug use on campus.
Besides facing criminal charges, each student will be recommended for expulsion, said Don Braun, chief of the San Diego Unified School District's police department.
San Diego police said two students had marijuana when they were detained.
Two San Diego police officers posed as students during the fall semester at the two campuses. They bought drugs on or near school, including prescription pain medication, marijuana, ecstasy and psilocybin, otherwise known as magic mushrooms, police said.
At University City High, police arrested eight boys and one girl, ranging in age from 15 to 17.
At Patrick Henry, in San Carlos, six male students, ages 15 to 18, were arrested.
Authorities said they also want an arrest warrant for a boy who transferred from University City to a school in Ohio.
The arrests were made without incident and the operation “was very smooth,” said school district spokeswoman Ursula Kroemer.
The students were first contacted in their classes and asked to go to a counselor's office. They were then handcuffed by police, officials said.
The superintendent knew about the investigation from the start; principals at both schools learned about it Tuesday, Kroemer said.
“On one hand, it is a little bit (of) startling information. On the other hand, it is keeping with our zero-tolerance policy,” she said. “One thing we can say is we think the arrests send a very clear message: We don't tolerate drug use, possession or selling on campus.”
Undercover officers bought 6.3 grams – less than a quarter ounce – of marijuana, 5 ecstasy pills, 6.4 grams of mushrooms and 12 pain pills.
Three students were on probation for drug-related offenses and several were repeat offenders, police said.
Police will be seeking charges of possession of narcotics and possession of narcotics for sale. Some students might be charged with selling drugs in and around a school.
Acting San Diego police Capt. Shelley Zimmerman declined to say whether similar operations are under way at other district campuses.
She said no other arrests were expected from yesterday's operation.
Zimmerman said the operation was launched in response to citizen complaints and an anonymous letter about drug activity in schools. She declined to say what schools were mentioned in the letter.
Police learned from the investigation that campus drug-dealing was common knowledge for some students.
“There certainly is a network on campus, where students know who is dealing drugs,” Zimmerman said.
Karen Kucher: (619) 293-1350; karen.kucher@uniontrib.com