What is going on? A covert operation under the Prevention of Terrorism Act? A hunt for explosives at an airport following a tip-off?
Not quite. It's actually a drugs raid on a secondary school. A pilot project in Kent, developed by the police, county council and school staff, has been carrying out spot checks on 10 schools in the county. Now the police dogs and handlers have been joined by a 30,000 Ion Track Tester - equipment originally designed to detect explosives at airports. It checks desks, lockers, classrooms and school buses for evidence of drugs.
What is the reaction? The education department is frosty. It said yesterday that use of the tester in schools was "not really appropriate". This is departmental code for a daft idea. Police chiefs aren't impressed: their guidelines don't recommend it.
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