Eleven Wareham students could be facing disciplinary action and court after police completed a sweep of Wareham High School and the Cooperative School with drug-sniffing dogs on Thursday, February 17.

Each student was issued a citation, which carries a $100 fine, for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, according to Wareham Police.

Students found to have the drug face suspension and possible expulsion from school, said Wareham Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Barry Rabinovitch.

"We're trying to be proactive rather than reactive," Rabinovitch said of the sweep. “The reason this was done … is to make sure that students are aware that it is not safe for them to bring items to school that they should not bring."

Eighteen police dogs completed searches of classrooms, lockers, and surrounding parking lots. Sixteen K-9 units from various cities and towns assisted Wareham Police in the sweep, according to police. Students left the classrooms before police searched and were not in contact with the dogs, Wareham High School Principal Scott Palladino said.

“We tried to minimize the distraction in the school," Palladino said. He and Rabinovitch commended the speedy work of the officers. The search was completed in just over an hour, according to a Wareham Police press release.

The sweep was about more than just ensuring that students are learning in a safe environment.

"We want to deter these kids from using drugs because of all the known consequences," Palladino said. "If these kids need help, we want to get them help. ... It's more important to us to give these kids help than to give them a punitive punishment."

In-house counselors and school psychologists are on-hand to help with any substance abuse problems students have, Palladino said, but he noted that the students found to have substances in the sweep could be referred to outside counseling through the court system.

Rabinovitch said the district has completed sweeps a couple of times over the past few years. The sweeps are arranged through the school's principal, School Resource Officer, and administration of the Wareham Police Department.

The sweep was a continuation of the department's Operation Safe Streets, which took place throughout Wareham the previous weekend and resulted in 48 arrests.