Drug sweep Wednesday morning at Licking Heights

PATASKALA - There was a lock down Wednesday at two Licking Heights schools, triggered by an unannounced drug sweep and not an emergency.

The school district in recent years has partnered with the Pataskala Police Department on a small number of unannounced sweeps, and the pair continued that partnership Wednesday morning with one sweep at the high school and another at the middle school.

Pataskala police officers used the department's K-9 units in the effort, and while nothing was found at the middle school, officers found a small amount of drugs at the high school, Superintendent Philip Wagner said.

Pataskala police Det. Gary Smith confirmed the units — officers used three drug-sniffing dogs, in all — found a small baggie of marijuana and nothing more.

"It was a good, coordinated effort between the police department and the schools, and it kept everybody on their toes," Smith said.

Licking Heights' school resource officers assisted in the effort, and while the sweep was unannounced, Wagner informed parents of the effort afterward.

In a letter posted on the district's website, Wagner discussed how the sweep allowed both schools to practice the district's lock down procedures.

"I was so impressed with how the procedures were implemented and how safe our classrooms were," said Wagner, who monitored the sweep.

In one instance, a teacher did not open a classroom door, even after an officer knocked. That was consistent with the district's policy, Wagner said.

Wagner added there could be more random sweeps later this school year.

"Part of what helps is the randomness," he said. "You don't know when it could occur."

The district also intends to schedule, with the support of the school board, a future community forum focusing on the warning signs and dangers of illegal drug use among youth.