K-9 drug squad sweeps Lynn English lot, finds it clean

LYNN – An Essex County Sheriff’s Department K-9 drug team checked more than 300 cars parked in and around the parking lot of Lynn English High School Monday afternoon while students participated in a prom safety assembly.The sweep turned out to be a positive one for the school department as no arrests were made.In partnership with the Lynn Police and Essex County Sheriff Frank Cousins, School Safety and Security Liaison Officer Robert Ferrari organized the sweep to coincide with his yearly prom safety appearance, where he demonstrated new Breathalyzers that were used at Tuesday night’s prom.”I feel very good about (the dogs not finding any drugs),” said Superintendent Catherine Latham. “It was expected that they wouldn’t find anything, but it is always good to have that reinforced.”Ferrari and the Lynn Police run routine sweeps at secondary schools at different points of the school year looking for students who may be carrying drugs.The exercise has resulted in arrests in the past, including that of a 17-year-old Classical High School student last year, but for the most part the Lynn Public Schools have been proven clean during the Sheriff’s Department visits.Authorities say the high success rate of the sweep proves that they work, and that most students attending Lynn Public Schools understand the serious consequences of using drugs.”The message we want to send to all students is that drug distribution or possession will not be tolerated in our schools” said Deputy Police Chief Kevin Coppinger. “We have been pleased to support the Lynn School Department in their Safe School initiatives and it appears these efforts are working. During last October’s locker sweeps at the three public high schools, only one student was found to possess a controlled substance. This, combined with yesterday’s results, shows that the message has been received.”Our schools must be maintained as a drug free environment so learning can prosper. We will continue to assist the School Department in whatever way we can.”The Essex County Sheriff’s Office donated the K-9 service to the city during sweeps, something the police department appreciates, given the dire budget situation facing the city.”We would like to extend our thanks once again to Essex County Sheriff Frank Cousins and his K-9 officers who continue to provide resources to the community at no cost,” said Lynn Police Lt. William Sharpe. “As this recent operation and the one previously conducted in all three high schools has demonstrated, school administration efforts at maintaining drug free schools have produced encouraging results.”The decision to have the sweep while seniors were attending the prom assembly was one that Ferrari made by design, so that he could be sure that as many seniors as possible were around to see the dogs.The assembly, which is held at all four of the city’s high schools, features a wrecked automobile operated by a drunk driver in a recent traffic accident and a graphic video showing the consequences of driving under the influence.”We wanted to make sure that seniors were there to see this before prom,” said Ferrari. “We go into these sweeps hoping that we aren’t going to find anything in somebody’s car and that kids are doing the right thing.”