Student Interrogations/Search & Seizure

STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES, INTERROGATIONS, AND SEARCHES 

➤  INTERROGATIONS BY SCHOOL OFFICIALS:  Administrators, teachers, and other professional personnel have the right to question a student regarding the student's own conduct or the conduct of other students. 

➤  LOCKERS AND VEHICLES:  Students have full responsibility for the security of their lockers, and for vehicles parked on school property. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that lockers and vehicles are locked and that the keys and combinations are not given to others. Students shall not place, keep, or maintain any article or material that is forbidden by District policy in lockers or in vehicles parked on school property. 

➤  School officials may search lockers, or vehicles parked on school property, if there is reasonable suspicion that they contain articles or materials prohibited by District policy. Students shall be responsible for any prohibited items found in their lockers or in vehicles parked on school property. 

➤  If a vehicle subject to search is locked, the student shall be asked to unlock the vehicle. If the student refuses, the District shall contact the student's parents. If the parents also refuse to permit a search of the vehicle, the District may turn the matter over to local law enforcement officials. 

USE OF TRAINED DOGS  

The District shall use specially trained non-aggressive dogs to sniff out and alert officials to the current presence of concealed prohibited items, illicit substances and alcohol.   Such visits to schools shall be unannounced. The dogs may be used to sniff vacant classrooms, vacant common areas, the areas around student lockers, and the areas around vehicles parked on school property. The dogs shall not be used with students. If a dog alerts a to a locker, a vehicle, or an item in a classroom, it will be searched by school officials. Searches of vehicles shall be conducted as described above. 

DEFINITIONS:  For purposes of this regulation, the following definitions will be applicable: 

➤  Contraband will mean all substances or materials, the presence of which is prohibited by District policy, state and or local law, including but not limited to controlled substances, drugs, alcohol or alcoholic beverages, glue, volatile chemicals, aerosol paint, guns, knives, weapons, and incendiary devices.

➤   Random searches will refer to searches that are conducted without reference to specific dates, locations, or times. 

➤  School property refers to all property owned, leased, or operated by the Bristol Warren Regional School District. 

Random Searches:   will be directed toward locating items prohibited by law or the Student Code of Conduct in public or common areas on BWRSD school property. 

➤   The Bristol Police Department will be authorized to utilize trained canines to aid in the search for contraband in or on school-owned property and automobiles parked on school property. 

➤  An authorized trainer will be responsible for training and documenting the dog's actions and must accompany the canine used in any random search. 

➤  An indication (trained alert) by the dog to the handler that contraband is present on school property or in or on an automobile being searched will be considered probable cause to extend the focus of the search as needed and, if deemed necessary, to file appropriate charges with the local law enforcement agency. 

➤  While a random search is being performed, all students and personnel must remain in their classrooms, work locations, or other areas of school property designated by the school administration in coordination with the Bristol Police Department. 

➤  The superintendent or designee, school principal, or designee may request a search of the school as needed. Searches requiring a canine will be scheduled in advance with the Bristol Police Department. 

➤  Unannounced searches may be conducted by the Bristol Police Department or upon request by the Superintendent or designee, as deemed necessary. 

Summary of Process: 

➤   Lockers may be sniffed by trained dogs at any time. 

➤  Vehicles parked on school property may be sniffed by trained dogs at any time. 3. Classrooms and other common areas may be sniffed by trained dogs at any time when students are not present. 

➤  If contraband of any kind is found, the possessing student shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct and may be referred to the local law enforcement agency.