RANGELY | Last Thursday the Rangely Police Department, assisted by the Vernal Police Department and Uintah County Sheriff’s Office, conducted a drug search at Rangely High School. The search did not turn up any illegal substances.
According to Rangely Police Lieutenant Roy Kinney the Vernal Police Department and Uintah Sheriff were asked to assist with the search because their dogs are trained to alert at the scent of marijuana whereas Colorado dogs are no longer trained for that substance.
Following the search the Rangely PD released a statement on Facebook saying, “The Uintah County Sheriff’s Office and the Vernal Police Department assisted the Rangely Police Department with drug interdiction at the Rangely Jr/Sr High School today in conjunction with the Rangely School District.”
So, the tone of the article is that the police are disappointed they did not find anything? Seems more of an indication that a search was conducted without probable cause, without a specific target, and apparently without any kind of search warrant.
So it seems the goal here is to teach students to give up their fundamental rights and submit to illegal search and seizure? No wonder by the time they get to college they are so ripe for influencing.
Then you have a police department that is already under fire for overreaching and harassment, conducting a search without parental presence or consent? Someone thought this was a good idea in any form? At the very least, this seems to be poor Public Relations. As a parent I would be furious.
What exactly was the plan here anyway? I understand there is a significant drug problem. However, what part of the solution is arresting a bunch of high school kids, giving them arrest records.
Let me propose this idea. Instead of “eliminating dangerous criminals” or “getting Drugs off our streets” you are effectively creating a population with a non-violent criminal record, that will be dependent upon Social Welfare because they are unable to access higher education or employment. Where is the deterrent in that? In fact, why would you do that to a child? They have been crippled before they have even had a chance to make a better life.
What benefit is gained from the use of resources in what is an attack on personal freedoms. Just because they are high school students or minors does not mean they are without rights. It seems that in the quest to make “someone” responsible for our woes, that we have forgotten to consider just how responsible we ourselves are for them.