Marijuana Policy Project

MILLSBORO — As Delaware State Police swarmed Sussex Central High School Friday morning as part of an emergency training exercise and drug sweep, parents became concerned for the safety of their children.

The exercise, conducted by the Delaware State K-9 unit, was meant to provide training for state officers and search for drugs and contraband in the students' lockers, Indian River spokesman Dave Maull said.

Troopers arrested four students: a 15-year-old Georgetown boy, two 17-year-old girls from Millsboro and a 17-year-old boy also from Millsboro. The charges included possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, which are misdemeanors. The students were issued criminal summonses and turned over to their parents. They were also suspended from school for 10 days.

The sweep provoked fear for some parents.

"Even though my daughter is 25 years old, I was still concerned for her safety," said a concerned parent, whose daughter is employed at the school. "I thought someone had brought a gun or something."

The sweep occurred in the wake of another incident on Sept. 28. At that time, police charged two teenagers with firing an air gun in the parking lot of the school after class was dismissed, hitting at least one student with plastic projectiles.

Sussex Central High School parent Cathy Headley said she was not concerned when she first learned of the sweep early Friday morning. "My husband called and said, 'Cathy, I think something has happened at the school,' " she said. "I was worried initially, but I do believe the majority of the students at Sussex Central are responsible. They have a maturity about them — at least the students I've gotten to know."

Maull said sweeps of this type are held once or twice a year, and are not dangerous.

The Indian River School District would not comment on whether or not parents had been notified of the sweep in advance.

"There needs to be some kind of secrecy involved if they're doing a sweep," Maull said. "This is just a routine drill."