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Othello district signs interlocal agreement with Adams County for canine drug-detection visits
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Summary
The board approved required approvals that included an interlocal agreement giving the district access to the county’s trained canine unit for drug detection 10–12 times a year; policies govern canine use on school grounds and parking lots.
The Othello School District approved a set of required approvals that included an interlocal agreement with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office to provide a trained canine unit for district use 10 to 12 times per year, district leadership said at the board meeting. The agreement was represented in the set of approvals that passed by board vote earlier in the meeting.
Dr. Perez told the board the sheriff’s office, led by Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner, approached the district after the county developed a new canine program and that principals and district leaders discussed how the service would be accessed and tracked. “We were approached by Adams County Sheriff, Dale Wagner, and we met several months ago to talk about the training and the development they had with their new canine,” Dr. Perez said. She said the district and sheriff’s office negotiated parameters for when the canine would be deployed and how the district would assess a return on investment.
Dr. Perez and other staff said the canines would be used primarily for drug detection and that the district’s existing board policies outline permissible canine uses on school grounds and in parking areas. The board conversation framed the agreement as part of an ongoing partnership with local law enforcement that also includes prior agreements with Othello Police Department and school resource officer programs.
The approvals were adopted earlier in the meeting with procedural votes recorded as routine required approvals; the board recorded a 4-0 vote approving the required approvals. Staff said additional site-specific safety enhancements for Othello High School and other campuses — including fencing and monitoring — were planned for forthcoming agenda items and would be considered separately.
No amendments to the interlocal agreement were discussed or adopted at the meeting. Staff said the district would monitor usage and costs and would return to the board with related approvals if further expenditures or policy changes are needed.
