GLENVISTA – Shock showed on the faces of Glenvista High School learners, when a police officer in uniform and three others in normal clothes introduced themselves and let the reason for their visit be known.
The drug search started immediately after learners wrote cycle tests. An announcement on the intercom informed them to stay in their classes after the test, no learner was informed of what was to take place.
Eight Mondeor SAPS police officers visited Glenvista High School on March 5 on a random drug search, organised in partnership with the school officials. Unfortunately for some learners, the officers did not leave alone following a complete search of all classrooms.
After the brief introduction by Sergeant Qoba, learners in the classroom were separated into two groups, boys and girls, and all were told to refrain from fiddling with their bags to prevent them from trying to remove or hide any illegal drugs or weapons.
The learners were then asked if they had anything to declare before the officers started with the search. If any dangerous weapons or illegal substances were to be found in learners’ possession, they would be arrested and taken to Mondeor Police Station.
Although there was giggling amongst the learners as they formed a line, an atmosphere of anxiety filled the classroom, where a couple of nervous faces could be seen.
“Mam, what is going to happen to those who are found with cigarettes?” a group of giggling girls asked the Comaro CHRONICLE reporter. “Mam, are you a cop?”
“Are our parents going to be told if we are found with weed?”
Curiosity was mounting as one boy was found in possession of a packet of cigarettes and told to move to the front of the class.
Three boys from different classes quickly opted to declare being in possession of illegal cannabis and were removed from their classrooms. Although the boys had declared the illegal substances before the drug search started, they were taken to the Mondeor Station for a warning and their parents were informed of the findings.
Each learner was thoroughly patted down by a same-sex police officer, who checked every pocket and hole in each school bag, every pocket in their school blazers and conducted a body search and even requested learners to take off their shoes to make sure that nothing was hidden.
Cigarettes were also confiscated from a couple of boys. When asked why they had started smoking, they said they had no valid reason. A group of girls who heard this response couldn’t help but voice their opinion on how silly they found the reasoning.
The drug search initiative in schools has been widely applauded by community members and school security guards, who feel that efforts by the involvement of the Mondeor SAPS to ensure a drug-free school environment will help bring back order, discipline and respect between learners and their educators.
On February 25 Mondeor SAPS, in partnership with JMPD Johannesburg Dog Unit, JHB SAPS Dog unit, JHB Central SAPS, Langlaagte SAPS and Mondeor Youth Desk, conducted a random school search at Mondeor High School.
“The project is to keep the schools free from drugs and dangerous weapons,” explained Mondeor SAPS Communication Officer W/O Sibongile Mnguni.
Mondeor SAPS (Social Crime, Communication and Sector Managers), Provincial SAPS Social Crime office, Jhb Dog Unit, Mondeor Youth Desk and Community Safety on September 18 also held the Drug School Search at Moses Maren Technical School in Eikenhof, addressing the perpetrators of crime in schools.
