Dartford firm says student security checks ‘necessary’

3:44pm Wednesday 15th October 2008

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A SECURITY firm thinks students need to be searched for weapons because “the rise in knife crime has made it necessary”.

In the coming months Ward Security will offer to search students at north Kent schools and colleges for weapons and drugs.

The company, which trains its staff and search dogs in Cotton Lane, Dartford, would confiscate any weapons and drugs found on students and leave the school to deal with the punishment.

Its operations director, Kevin Ward, said: “Our aim is to make teachers and pupils safer.

“I have a 14-year-old son and the idea of him being at school when other pupils have knives frightens me.”

The 38-year-old believes it is becoming more common for teenagers to carry a weapon.

He said: “I do not think there are a lot of bad kids out there.

“I think there are a lot of scared kids who feel they have to carry a knife just to protect themselves.”

Mr Ward says the security package would be built around each school’s needs.

It would see trained security staff and dogs performing one or a series of surprise searches at schools.

Mr Ward said: “If the kids do not know when we are going to turn up, they have the fear of getting caught at any time, so they won’t risk carrying a weapon or drugs in school at any time.”

Mr Ward went on to say: “I appreciate a lot of parents will be against this, but some will realise, unfortunately, the rise in knife crime has made it necessary.”

Liam Gaynor, of Milestone Road, Dartford, has three children at school in north Kent and believes searching pupils is a good idea.

The 35-year-old said: “Knife culture is getting worse and worse and we need to do something about it.

“But we have to make sure we don’t take the onus off parents to be responsible for what their kids are doing.”

However, Tony Williams, communications director for Kent-based anti-drugs charity Kenward Trust, says he is against searching school pupils.

He said: “I think it is an infringement of the human rights and integrity of young people.

“The overwhelming majority of young people are law abiding and they would not be happy about being searched.”

But Graham Taylor, headteacher at the school West Kent Health Needs Education Service in Cerne Road, Gravesend, thinks it could work in the short-term.

He said: “If there was a particular issue I would not be against searches as a short-term measure to show pupils the school will not tolerate weapons and drugs.”

Ward Security was established in 2000 and operates across Kent and south-east London, including contracts with Bromley and Bexley councils.

KCC Director of Operations Dr Ian Craig said: “Schools are likely to look at this proposal with concern as they place a premium on working directly with their communities on issues such as this, rather than through third parties.

“However, it would be for individual schools to decide on their response.”