“Most thorough” search in history reveals no drugs

  • Corporal David Ridings, right, with the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office, describes the bait used to train drug detecting dogs to, from left, Fannin County High School Principal Dr. Scott Ramsey and assistant principals Heather Collis and Mandy Housley. After a thorough search of FCHS last week, the five dogs used were put through a training exercise in one of the classrooms.
    Corporal David Ridings, right, with the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office, describes the bait used to train drug detecting dogs to, from left, Fannin County High School Principal Dr. Scott Ramsey and assistant principals Heather Collis and Mandy Housley. After a thorough search of FCHS last week, the five dogs used were put through a training exercise in one of the classrooms.
  • Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office Corporal David Ridings finds the bait his K-9 Milo has just alerted to during training following a search of Fannin County High School. The box containing the bait can be seen attached to the underside of the student desk.
    Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office Corporal David Ridings finds the bait his K-9 Milo has just alerted to during training following a search of Fannin County High School. The box containing the bait can be seen attached to the underside of the student desk.
  • Fannin County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Vendy checks a locker at Fannin County High School last week. No drugs were found during a thorough search.
    Fannin County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Vendy checks a locker at Fannin County High School last week. No drugs were found during a thorough search.

    Fannin County High School Principal Dr. Scott Ramsey was, “Encouraged (by) the most thorough this school has ever been searched.”

    Ramsey made the comment after a team of law enforcement officers from five agencies used five drug dogs to comb almost every inch of the high school campus last Wednesday, March 29.

    Only the Performing Arts Center was not searched, and that was due to kindergarten registration taking place.

    When the search that lasted about two hours concluded, only two vaping devices had been discovered, prompting Ramsey’s words.

    This was not the first search of the high school this year. Sergeant Jacob Pless of the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office along with K-9 Vendy did a less intensive search in January.

    A similar exercise was conducted at Fannin County Middle school.

    After those efforts, school officials said they wanted to let students know the drug dogs would be back.

    “The safety of our students is the top priority.  We must do everything we can to ensure our kids are safe from a variety of threats, including dangerous substances.  I appreciate the support of Fannin County Sheriff Dane Kirby and his deputies, as well as those with other area law enforcement agencies, for today’s check of Fannin County High School with drug detection canines,” School Superintendent Shannon Miller said after last week’s search.

    Taking part in the effort were deputies from the Fannin, Gilmer and Union County sheriff’s offices, the Union County School Police, and Blue Ridge Police Chief R.A. Stuart.