Can a police K9 unit search a student at school?

Question

for my english class we need to write a paper over police searches

so if a student at school possibly has drugs (weed, pills) can the police bring in a K9 unit to sniff him or can he refuse the search all together

Answer 1

well pretty much your fckd.

uhhh you can resist search from your school but when the police take you to the station and call your parents they can legally search you.

Answer 2

a schools policy takes president over a students rights, only a court can overturn a school's policy and rule in favor of the student.  

Answer 3

You can not refuse a K-9 search at school. There are two issues that decide this:

1. A school is a public building, so there is no expectation of privacy in common areas.

2. A K-9 search is not invasive, and does not require you to be detained, so there is no infringement on your rights.

In addition, The US Supreme Court has ruled the interest of the public will always be more important than an individual's interest when it comes to drugs and weapons (New York v. Quarles)

Answer 4

Stop resisting.  

Answer 5

Kate is absolutely correct.  If a K-9 dog alerts officers to the presence of a controlled substance, you can be searched.  You can always attempt to refuse a search.  However, if the officer has a legal right to be in the area of the search and the search is lawful, it will be conducted with or without your consent.

Answer 6

yes they can now they tell me but doesnt it say in the costituion that i cant be searched with out cuase wow or gov. is going to fall quick s***w this china here i come

Answer 7

A K-9 search is a minimally invasive search for public safety (in the school) and is constitutional.  Anyone can refuse a search but it will happen anyway, as the dog will be present and it is lawful.  It is similar to a metal detector.

Answer 8

Kate and C4yourself are both right.  Unless they line everyone up and the K9 comes to each person for a sniff you are not being searched.  A K9 that stands at the entrance to your school is no different than a metal detector.  A K9 trained in drug/bomb detection will only alert on those scents.  I am called to several schools throughout the year and I conduct locker searches at the school.  I have never had Yukon sniff a line of people.  But I have been invited into classrooms by teachers and he has alerted on students before after walking around the classroom.  A K9 sniff is not prohibiting your civil liberties/rights.  All a sniff will do is give probable cause for a more through search of a person, vehicle, area, etc.

Refusal after an alert only makes the reasonable suspicion stronger.