Drugs dogs used to check students
Student representatives say they have concerns over the use of police sniffer dogs to identify students carrying drugs at colleges in Wales.
Police and dogs were invited into the entrance of Pembrokeshire College last week to monitor students.
The college said it was part of its programme to tackle drug misuse. There were no arrests.
The National Union of Students Wales said it was ‘an aggressive’ approach and drug education would achieve more.
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Drugs are a really important issue . . . but I think it’s a bit of an aggressive sort of campaign
Mel Whitter, NUS |
Students arriving at the college in Haverfordwest at 0900 GMT last Tuesday were met by officers from Dyfed-Powys Police and sniffer dogs.
College principal Glyn Jones said: “This action was conceived as a pre-emptive deterrent and is part of the responsible co-operation between the police and the college to take positive action against the misuse of drugs.
“This action is seen as complementing the very good education programme that is in place at the college to deter and inform students about the dangers of drug abuse.
“The action did send out a clear message to students that drugs at colleges would not be tolerated.”
Both the college and Dyfed-Powys Police said that no arrests were made.
Such exercises are increasingly carried out at schools in England and Wales with more than 100 regularly using sniffer dogs to deter pupils from using drugs.
But Mel Whitter, Women’s and Welfare Campaign officer for NUS Wales, said such tactics could put students off further education.
“Drugs are a really important issue and I think it is really important that the college is taking the issue of dugs so seriously,” she said.
“But I think it’s a bit of an aggressive sort of campaign.
“These students have chosen to go to college. They are no longer at school and should be treated as adults.”
She said the NUS was in the process of re-establishing a union at Pembrokeshire and would be happy to work with students and the college in a drugs education programme or campaign.
