UPDATED on Oct. 8 at 12:14 p.m.
Police officers and drug-sniffing dogs appeared at Riverside-Brookfield High School on Thursday, Oct. 8, during second period class time, and conducted a canine search of the campus for illegal drugs and guns.
According to a press release issued by the high school on Thursday morning, “the search was a collaborative effort between the District 208 administration and police in an effort to create a safe and drug-free environment within the school.”
Several other suburban police departments participated in the search in addition to Riverside police, and according to the school,District 208 staff stood by as “impartial observers.”
“The dogs, which were specifically trained for this type of search, were kept away from direct contact with students and staff at all times,” the press release stated.
For the first time, police used a dog trained to sniff out guns during its search of the school.
According to Riverside police, the school was placed on “soft lockdown” during the sweep, and students were not allowed to leave their classrooms until the sweep was completed. No drugs or guns were found during the sweep, police said.
Police conduct such sweeps annually and will continue to do so in the future, according to the school’s press release.
