Opposition Leader Steven Marshall pledges to send police dogs into state schools to stop drug use
POLICE and sniffer dogs would be empowered to carry out surprise raids in SA high schools, under a controversial Liberal plan to stamp out drug use. What do you think - VOTE NOW
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POLICE should bring sniffer dogs into the state’s high schools to uncover drug stashes and smash playground trafficking, says an Opposition policy.
Liberal leader Steven Marshall will on Saturday unveil a major new anti-drugs plan at the party’s annual general meeting, as he seeks to seize control of the law and order agenda.
The Advertiser can reveal a major plank in the crackdown will be allowing the SA Police dog squad to carry out spot checks of state high school premises and students property.
Mr Marshall said the searches would not include checking students directly, but contained to school buildings, lockers and bags — unless officers had specific information.
The Liberal policy would be mandatory in state schools, which are built on land owned by the Government.
Private schools would be invited to opt-in to the drug search program.
Police will also retain power to search private schools where there is suspicion of drug activity.
Schools which fear they have a drug problem could actively request police and sniffer dog checks in addition to random raids which would become standard Government policy.
Staff would not be warned of the raids, a move aimed at increasing chances of detection and deterrence.
Penalties when drugs are found could include prosecution or counselling.
Mr Marshall said there must be a “zero tolerance approach to the scourge of illicit drugs in our
schools”, and promised the Opposition would hound destructive influences from SA’s schools.
“Drugs have no place in our school system and we will move to protect students from drug dealers peddling dangerous substances at school,” Mr Marshall said.
“I will instruct the Police Commissioner to develop protocols for SAPOL to conduct random inspections of schools by the drug squad, to search locker rooms and classrooms for illicit drugs that are placing our children at enormous risk.
“I want any student thinking of bringing drugs onto school premises to know they run the very real risk of being caught and convicted.”
Mr Marshall said he wanted drug dealers who currently “hang around at the fringe of our schools” to know a Liberal government would “come down on them like a tonne of bricks”.
“When parents drop their kids off at school they need to know the first person who approaches them in the playground isn’t a drug dealer,” Mr Marshall said. “We will work with schools to ensure, where there is a suspicion of the presence of illegal drugs, the dog squad is sent in to scour the school grounds and the police patrols watch over students coming and going.”
Currently sniffer dogs can enter schools if police have a reasonable suspicion there are drugs on the premises, but the power is rarely used.
Schools must currently be informed before the dogs enter as a matter of protocol.
The Opposition said the cost of the new strategy would be met from existing police resources, which have recently been increased as part of a State Government push to crack down on increased drug use.
The Liberals have already announced two other components of a broader drugs policy to be announced on Saturday. They would give judges power to force drug-addicted teens into rehabilitation for up to 12 months after an application was made by parents or other interested people.
Also, drug users would be prevented from repeatedly choosing counselling to avoid court.
The three-strikes policy would require drug matters to be sent automatically to court after two warnings, as judges retain the power to order counselling where appropriate or harder sentences.
Police Minister Peter Malinauskas in June announced a new anti-drug policy, including an immediate $1 million cash injection for undercover operations, to tackle the ice scourge.
It included an additional $581,000 to fund more detection dogs and handlers, as well as
$300,000 for specialist drug testing equipment for country police. Mr Malinauskas also launched a $200,000 Crimestoppers “dob in a dealer’ campaign and expand police search powers.
The Liberal drug push is understood to be the first of several controversial policies the party will release in the coming months as it seeks to sharpen the contrast with Premier Jay Weatherill.
The party last month announced it would block the state bank tax, and local government is threatening to campaign against a Liberal promise to place a cap on council rate rises.
Labor has been calling on the Liberals to announce their energy policy, which will be critical factor in the campaign, and to explain how it would fund plans to cut ESL bills.
The state election will he held on March 17 next year.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Friday night spoke at a Liberal gala dinner fundraiser at Adelaide Oval ahead of on Saturday’s AGM.