As educators, parents, psychologists, and law enforcement officials search for answers as reports of continuing violence in our schools escalate, we offer one of the most successful deterrent programs available.

Principals of more that half of the nation's public schools reported an incident of crime or violence to law enforcement authorities last year. Each day more than 100,000 students bring weapons to school. And each day students are killed or wounded by these same weapons. Fearing victimization, over one-fifth of the students in our nations schools are afraid to use the school bathrooms.  We need to ask ourselves, is this the type of environment we want our coming generation and future leaders to grow up with?  If school is not safe, where can our children go?  

Students are not the only ones who experience fear at school. Yearly, over 6000 public school teachers are threatened by students. Violence is not unique to public schools or the nations urban centers. Nine percent of public, seven percent of private and six percent of non-sectarian school students reported being victims of violent acts or property crimes.  Even if we find one firearm in a students locker or bag, one question begs to be asked. What have we just prevented?  Parents, educators and administrators can no longer avoid the professional and moral obligation to protect our children with the best tool available.

Some government agencies, such as those noted below, report some drug use in schools to be dropping.  The fact remains that our children are still exposed to significant and detrimental quantities of illicit narcotics and alcohol.  We need to make a concerted and long-term effort to remove these negative influences from our schools.  In and of itself, our canine program can help make that goal realistic and reachable.  Keep in mind, that we are an important player in a team effort.  If the team does not work together, the issues will simply not be resolved.  Do you want your children exposed to these social ills on a daily basis?  Is this what we have in mind for the education of our youth?

Unlike many of our competitors, our Contraband Detection Dogs are trained to find not only illicit narcotics, but firearms/fireworks and alcoholic beverages as well.  We provide you with the capability to find all three odor groups for the same competitive price.

In July 2001, the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) division released these statistics:

Ecstasy. The increase in MDMA reported in the last two Monitoring the Future (MTF) surveys slowed in 2001. While increases were observed in all three grades, they were generally not as steep as in the past two years and were not statistically significant. In addition, the perceived risk of harm from trying MDMA once or twice increased among seniors. Increases in perceived risk are often harbingers of future reductions in rates of use.

Steroids (anabolic-androgenic). Seniors' use of steroids in the lifetime, past year, and past month increased from 2000 to 2001. Past year use increased from 1.7 percent to 2.4 percent. Comparable 2001 figures for past year steroid use in other grades were 1.6 percent for the 8th and 2.1 percent for the 10th.

Marijuana. Marijuana use in the lifetime, past year, and past month remained statistically unchanged from 2000 to 2001 in each grade. In 2001, past year rates of marijuana use were 15.4 percent of 8th graders, 32.7 percent for 10th graders, and 37.0 percent for 12th graders.

In the 27 years that the MTF study has collected data, past year prevalence rates for self-reported marijuana use by seniors peaked at 50.8 percent in 1979 and declined to a low of 21.9 percent in 1992. Since then, it reached a relative maximum of 38.5 percent in 1997 and is now at 37.0 percent in 2001.

Cocaine and Crack. Cocaine use, including both cocaine powder and crack, decreased from 2000 to 2001 among 10th graders. Lifetime use of cocaine in any form declined from 6.9 percent to 5.7 percent in this group, lifetime use of crack decreased from 3.7 percent to 3.1 percent, and past year use of cocaine powder declined from 3.8 percent to 3.0 percent.

Alcohol. Between 2000 and 2001, alcohol use indicators remained mostly stable with some signs of decrease but only two changes that were statistically significant: Having been drunk in the past year declined among 8th graders, from 18.5 percent in 2000 to 16.6 percent in 2001. In an exception to the overall pattern, daily alcohol use increased among 12th graders, from 2.9 percent to 3.6 percent.

Heroin. Heroin use declined from 2000 to 2001 among 10th and 12th graders. For 10th graders, past year use decreased from 1.4 percent to 0.9 percent, and for 12th graders it was down from 1.5 percent to 0.9 percent. In addition, lifetime heroin use declined for both these grades. This decrease in overall heroin use among 10th and 12th graders resulted largely from a decrease in use of the drug without a needle (i.e., snorting or smoking it).

The decrease in heroin use among 12th graders reverses an increase in use of the drug in this grade between 1999 and 2000 that brought it to the highest level seen in the history of the survey; the new rate for 2001, 0.9 percent for past year use, is the lowest seen since 1994.

Inhalants. Rates of inhalant use continued the gradual declining trend seen in recent years, though the decrease from 2000 to 2001 was statistically significant only for 12th graders' past year use of these substances; the rate declined from 5.9 percent to 4.5 percent. In 2001 9.1 percent of 8th graders, 6.6 percent of 10th graders, and 4.5 percent of 12th graders reported using inhalants in the past year.

Illicit narcotics are still prevalent in our schools. Even though in some cases we are seeing a slight decrease in use, the abusers and dealers remain. We need to eradicate this menace from our society.

Our Contraband Detection Canine Services Program has one goal in mind. That is to reduce the presence and use of illicit and dangerous narcotics, alcohol, weapons, and prescription medication abuse on school grounds. What greater deterrent program could you possibly employ than a tool capable of locating contraband items? You have to ask yourself, what is the message that you wish to send to those persons who abuse your trust and place others at great risk?

Our handler/dog teams are certified by the International Detection Canine Foundation. We are charter members of the International Explosive Detection Dog Association. Mike Canaan is a Certifying Official with the International Detection Canine Foundation.

We are registered with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration as well as the State of Washington Board of Pharmacy.  We also have a Special Permit with the State of Washington Liquor Control Board.

Our Contraband Dog handlers are trained in presumptive narcotics testing by VALTOX Laboratories of Sacramento, CA.

You have questions? ...well, we have answers. Visit our Contraband Detection Canine Services Contraband Frequently Asked Questions or Explosives Frequently Asked Questions page.

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