Stonington - The Board of Education will consider a proposed policy tonight that would oversee how the police department can use its drug-sniffing dog Fritz in the schools.

The board is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. in the high school commons, but board Chairwoman Gail MacDonald said members will likely not vote on the policy until their May meeting.

She said the board's policy committee, of which she is a member, decided to create the policy after some residents suggested use of the dog during the board's discussion last year of a drug and alcohol policy for sports and extracurricular activities.

In addition, she said the police department had also informed the school system that Fritz and his handler, officer Greg Howard, were available if needed in the schools. MacDonald said the policy was not prompted by any incident.

MacDonald said the committee wanted the policy to be clearly worded so police could not come into the schools at any time and conduct searches.

Instead, the policy spells out when a police dog can enter the schools and under what circumstances and procedures.

She said she wanted to balance the police department's responsibility to apprehend people breaking the law and the school system philosophy of being an educational institution that is helpful and nurturing and mentors students.

She said the committee looked at policies provided by the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education and used sections it liked to create the proposal.

The policy introduction states that the board "wants to convey a strong message to the community, faculty, staff, and student body concerning the use or possession of illegal substances."

It states that the school administration may invite law enforcement agencies to search school property with dogs trained for the purpose of detecting the presence of illegal substances and contraband, including alcohol, "when necessary to protect the health and safety of students, employees or property."

The policy states that the administration must authorize a search and that the principal or a designee must be present while it takes place.

All school property such as lockers, classrooms, parking areas and storage areas may be searched. The dogs cannot search individuals and dogs will not be used in rooms where there are people unless for demonstration purposes. During such demonstrations, the dog cannot sniff a person.

The policy also details what happens when the dog "alerts" or indicates the presence of an illegal substance.

It states that if a dog alerts on an item or place, the student involved will be called to witness the search. If the dog alerts on a locked vehicle, the student who brought it onto school property shall be asked to unlock it for inspection.

The policy also states that before conducting a search based on an alert, "an effort shall be made to seek the student's consent and an effort shall be made to protect the student's privacy to the greatest degree possible."

And if a student's property is searched because of an alert, the student's parents must be notified by administrators.

The policy also states that parents and students must be notified of the policy through the student or parent handbook and school websites. The schools must also hold an informational meeting about the policy for parents and children.

j.wojtas@theday.com