Sniffer dog Skye greets pupils at Saltash Community School

Pupils at Saltash Community School were asked to grab their bags and file past a dog last month. The dog was Skye, and she was working.

Local officers visited the school with the police dog to educate young people about illegal drugs and to steer them away from using them. Skye is a six-year-old fox red Labrador trained to sniff out drugs, and she carried out passive searches in random classrooms alongside her handler, PC Steve Waters.

Students held their bags and walked past Skye in single file so they could see her skills in action. Officers then spoke to them about the purpose of the search, the dangers of drugs and the possible consequences of being caught with them.

What the officers said

PC Steve Waters said: “It was a delight to meet many students on the day, all of whom were polite and accommodating during our visit, and very excited to meet Skye.

“The purpose of these school visits is not to search for drugs. That’s not what we are there to do.

“What we are there to do is encourage young people to make safe informed decisions now and in the future, ultimately deterring them from drugs use, antisocial behaviour and criminality.”

“Visits like these mean we can open up a conversation with students about the possible dangers and consequences of using drugs.”

No drugs were found and no concerns were raised during the visit, which took place on Monday 22 June.

PC Steve Waters added: “We’re here to protect everyone in our communities. Education and prevention are one of the most effective ways of doing this, so this work will continue throughout the year.”

Part of a wider effort

The visit forms part of the Saltash police team’s proactive action against illegal substances. Other work takes place across the community to tackle the wider use and supply of drugs, including warrants, plain clothes operations and targeted patrols.

To report illegal activity or log non-urgent crimes in your area, visit the Devon and Cornwall Police website or call 101. To report crimes anonymously, contact Crimestoppers.