WILMINGTON, MA — Wilmington Public Schools sent out the message below to parents minutes ago:
We want to inform you that at approximately 9:15 a.m., the Wilmington School Department and the Wilmington Police Department commenced a shelter in place and canine search at Wilmington Middle School for the purpose of detecting narcotics. There is no safety threat at the school. As part of this drill, the Wilmington Police Department and Wilmington School Administrators, in cooperation with the Middlesex County Sherriff’s K-9 Unit will be searching lockers, hallways, and common areas. The use of the canines for narcotic searches is consistent with the Wilmington School Committee Policy JIK, Use of Dogs to Search School Property.
This activity is only a drill and is not connected to any current police investigation. During this search process, the school is not accessible to the public. It is anticipated that the drill will last approximately thirty minutes. At that time, normal building activity will resume. The Wilmington Police Department and the Wilmington School Department will send out a Blackboard Connect and press release later on today with more details on the search.
We thank you for your cooperation.
Mary DeLai, Superintendent of Schools
Amy Gerade, Principal
Wilmington Apple will share additional details as they become available.
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Wilmington Apple 
Uncalled for. If the search isn’t connected to any current ongoing police investigation, then technically it would be an illegal search and seizure, albeit presumably nothing is being seized, but the students property is still technically being illegally searched without each one of the students’ consent. Failure to consent would obviously result in the arousal of suspicion and create a mess, although that in and of itself would also technically be violating the students’ fifth amendment right by cornering them into an unnecessary situation. Without proper cause and reason to commit the search, the school commity and law enforcement are just eating noon existent tax dollars more needed for snow removal this coming season.