Staying true to his word, Sheriff Stewart Handte is hunting down those who use; buy or distribute narcotics. Knowing that children are the most influential,

Mineral County Sheriff Deputy Natalie Hults spoke to students alongside Jake the Drug Dog. (Heidi Bunch photo)

Staying true to his word, Sheriff Stewart Handte is hunting down those who use; buy or distribute narcotics. Knowing that children are the most influential, Handte with his deputies and Mineral County High School Principal Mike Domagala conducted a search of the Mineral County Jr./Sr. High School on Tues. Feb. 18.

“I had reason and concerns about people bringing drugs to school; people coming to school smelling of marijuana or people sneaking off to a hidey-hole to do who knows what. In speaking with Sheriff Handte, we were on the same page. This is not going to happen here,” Domagala said in his opening comments to junior high students.

Handte, along with Lt. Brian Dillard; Deputy Natalie Hults and drug dog Jake, were present during the assembly for both jr. and high school students.

Domagala went on to say, “If you get caught [at school], we don’t call Curtis and Randy [juvenile probation officers], we call the Sheriff’s Office. You will get to wear cool bracelets and ride in a cop car.”

After introducing himself to students, Handte told the students, “At your age, you can have positive or negative aspects in your life, specifically to drugs. Drugs can and will kill you deader than a door nail. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday. I don’t want to have to worry about any of you overdosing.”

Although his talk to these students was to the point, Handte made it clear that there is a zero tolerance in Mineral County for an drugs.

The star of the program was Deputy Jake, the K9 drug dog and handler Hults. The dark brown and white spaniel has unlimited energy and enjoys coming to work each day. Jake, who was born in Ireland, has a sibling who is now working with Nevada Highway Patrol and at his young age, can sniff out anything from residue to large amounts of narcotics.

The message was loud and clear that there is a zero tolerance in the schools and county but the sheriff and principal have an open door policy, if students are uncomfortable about a situation, they can see either one.

The positive note in this story, is that no drugs were found at the school. Handte said in closing, “I will be a regular visitor here.”