Oxford Community Schools is considering adding someone with a keen sense of smell to its security staff.

This week, Superintendent Tim Throne is scheduled to meet with representatives from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and Oxford Township to iron out the details regarding a proposed $25,000 mini-contract through which the district would receive 360 hours of service from the sheriff’s Canine Unit. Those hours would be spread throughout the school year.

Currently, the district uses sheriff’s canines to search its buildings and grounds for contraband items “a few times a year,” according to Throne.

But to Throne, that’s not enough because “you don’t know when somebody’s going to do something.”

“We really wanted the dog there more (often),” he said.

He believes having a canine on-site on a regular basis will help discourage students from attempting to circumvent school rules and the law by sneaking in weapons, narcotics and other items that pose a threat to themselves and others.

“People aren’t going to want to risk bringing anything (to school) if they know there’s a good chance they’re going to get busted,” Throne said.

“I want kids to know that (school) is off-limits (when it comes to) guns, bombs, ammunition, drugs. I want it to be a safe place,” the superintendent noted.

The Canine Unit currently consists of 12 dogs and 10 handlers, according to sheriff’s Sgt. David Roddy, who oversees the unit.

Each of the dogs is trained to detect one of three things: explosives (black powder, plastic explosives, TNT, etc.), narcotics (cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines) and accelerants (substances commonly used in arson).

Dogs trained to locate explosives can also detect the presence of firearms and ammunition. “That would be covered under black powder,” Roddy said.

Ten of the dogs are certified in secondary skills such as tracking suspects and lost individuals, searching for discarded evidence, searching buildings and outdoor areas for suspects who are hiding, criminal apprehension, handler protection and obedience.

The remaining two dogs, both of which are Labrador retrievers, are cross-trained in all of the above secondary skills with the exception of handler protection, according to Roddy.

“We can’t get Labs to bite,” Roddy said.

In addition to helping find dangerous and prohibited items, Throne said the mere presence of a police dog can often “de-escalate” volatile situations, such as fights, because people typically don’t want to risk tangling with these powerful and highly-trained animals.

He also believes having a dog around the schools will make police officers and security personnel seem “more approachable” to students. Inevitable requests to pet the pooch will lead to more positive interactions and conversations between them, Throne explained.

There is funding tentatively set aside for a canine presence in the district’s 2019-20 budget. Throne is anticipating bringing the mini-contract to the board of education for its review and potential approval at the Tuesday, July 23 meeting.

“It’s not a done deal,” he said.

If the mini-contract is approved, Throne indicated use of the dog would not be limited to the high school.

“I want to take it around to all the schools,” he said.

Throne noted officials “originally looked at purchasing a dog” and having it trained, but they later learned such ownership would expose the district to liability if, for example, the animal bit someone.

The district also explored turning the school liaison officer, sheriff’s Deputy Jason Louwaert, into a canine handler as well, but there were drawbacks.

According to Throne, becoming a canine officer would require initial and ongoing training that would take Louwaert out of the district for periods of time. Also, Louwaert and the dog could be called away from the schools to assist with situations elsewhere in the county, which would again decrease the district’s level of service and protection.

“We really didn’t want to do that,” said Throne, given the whole goal of this is to “enhance” student, staff and building safety “as much as possible.”