On March 23, the Friday before students at Prior Lake High School were set to start spring break, a team of police and K-9 partners made their way through the building and parking lot.

The only drug citation was against a 17-year-old Prior Lake boy, who was cited for possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. The contraband was reportedly found in the student’s vehicle. Another 17-year-old Prior Lake boy was cited for possession of tobacco, which also was found in a vehicle.

Although the drug-sniffing dogs also hit upon a few lockers in the school, police only noted the scent of marijuana or cigarettes on clothing in the lockers and did not locate any contraband.

“This shows a very positive light for the school,” said School Resources Officer Kyle Klapperick of the Savage Police Department. “At least we’re keeping it out of the school.”

Klapperick pointed out the favorable weather made for “a perfect sweep” as opposed to previous drug sweeps when rain and cold hampered efforts of the Dakota County Drug Task Force.

School officials have vowed to conduct at least two random drug searches of the school since it opened three years ago. A sweep of the school and grounds in October turned up zero in citations for drugs on campus.

This was the sixth search conducted at the school.