Pomona Council approves pact with schools on K-9 teams

An agreement between the Pomona Unified School District and the city for the use of canine and handler teams was approved by the City Council this week.

Through the agreement, the district can request a K-9 team to do a "periodic, random and unannounced" inspection.

Inspections would be intended to detect contraband on "student vehicles or objects, district-issued equipment and vehicles and other unattended objects in public areas," according to a city staff report.

Police dogs can "sniff the area around such objects on or adjacent to district grounds as long as they are not allowed to sniff within the close proximity of any student's person," the staff report said.

If a dog signals it has found a banned substance or object a district employee will carry out a search of the objects or equipment, the staff report said.

Such a service will be carried out at no cost to the district until June 30, 2013, the staff report said.