3/25/08

Plain Dealer

Thomas Ott

Police and security officers have begun making random sweeps of Cleveland schools in search of drugs.

The first sweep came Thursday at John Marshall High School. School security officers, city police and two drug-sniffing dogs went through lockers for two hours while students were kept in their classrooms.

No drugs were found, but schools security chief Lester Fultz said he is more interested in making a point than making arrests.

“The goal is to send a very strong message in terms of what is not allowed in the buildings,” he said. “We were not disappointed that we didn’t find anything.”

Sharon DeCarlo, who has two daughters at John Marshall, applauded the intent but criticized the execution.

She said school officials did not make clear to students what was going on, spawning rumors of an intruder and prompting worried teenagers to make cell-phone calls to their parents. The uproar came just five months after an armed student at Cleveland’s SuccessTech Academy wounded two teachers and two other students, then killed himself.

“They induced panic,” DeCarlo said. “I just think the whole thing was done poorly. I would imagine a lot of parents would agree with me.”

Fultz said officials announced a lockdown drill, then about 15 minutes later sent word over the public-address system that a drug sweep was under way. He said the district will declare its intent up front next time.

“I really want them to know the full purpose of why we’re there,” he said. “There’s no reason to camouflage it as a drill.”

Fultz said sweeps will spill over into next school year and continue “until we are convinced there are no drugs in our schools.” He said searches will be not be limited to high schools.

The district has stepped up security since the SuccessTech shootings by installing metal detectors and adding security guards. The schools also are awaiting recommendations from security consultants.