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The installation of vape detectors and the use of the metal detecting wands has led to an increase of 50% of students getting caught with THC vapes.
“I think [the vape detectors] work well,” school resource officer Dustin Roscoe said. “I mean, obviously, there’s room for improvement, and there’s better models that may come out in the future, but for what we have in the size of our district, I think that it is doing its job fairly well.”
The vape detectors do not only detect vapors from vape pens, they also detect excessive motion in the school bathrooms.
“I feel they are working, because we have less repeat offenders,” principal Joey McQueen said. “If a student is placed in DAEP (Disciplinary Alternative Education Placement) because of a THC Vape, they go for 60 days of DAEP and are charged with a felony.”
When students are sent to DAEP for THC possession, they are offered the choice to take an online drug education program where they get a 15 day reduction on their time in DAEP.
“The program can’t hurt, because it educates students on how harmful vaping is,” McQueen said. “Students have talked with us about how they are trying to stop.”
There is an increase in students going to DAEP due to the increase of people being caught vaping.
“DAEP was at max intake for kids before spring break due to lack of staff,” an anonymous student who went to DAEP said. “We just got a new teacher, but at the rate that people are coming we will be at max again.”
Roscoe leaves his door open for students who want to know more information about the dangers of vaping and other drugs.
“I do believe that we are being successful in deterrence,” Roscoe said. “But I do believe we can be more successful and maybe implement more things to help young adults understand before they’re out in the real world where they may not be as readily available for information.”
