Drug raid conducted Friday afternoon at Decorah HS

The Decorah Police Department conducted a K-9 search of a number of student lockers at the Decorah High School around 1:00 Friday afternoon.

A news release from the police department says the search was conducted as the result of information obtained in an on-going drug investigation and was not a random search. 

The K-9 detected the presence  of illegal drugs in two lockers.  18-year-old John William Arthur Jenkins was arrested for possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) and drug paraphernalia  as a result of the search.

The investigation also found controlled substances in the possession of two juveniles, who are being referred to juvenile court on the charges.

The Decorah High School administration issued a letter to students and parents and guardians following the K-9 search.  The letter said the school administration "is committed to create a safe and orderly school environment to encourage student learning and achievement.  That commitment is achieved, in part, through the adoption and enforcement of school policies that prohibit students from possessing, using or distributing alcohol, drugs, tobacco products and/or related paraphernalia while on the school campus or attending off-campus events sponsored by the school district." 

The letter stressed, "The searches were performed in a manner that complies with Iowa State Law and Iowa Supreme Court decisions.  No person was or will be searched or sniffed by the drug dog.  If the presence of illegal drugs is detected in any student's locker during a search, High School administration and law enforcement officers will contact the student assigned to use the locker and the content of the student's bag or purse will be searched.  All searches will be conducted in a manner that respects students' privacy and rights, in addition to following Iowa State Law."