WELLMAN

The level 2 lockdown at Mid-Prairie High School on Wednesday, Feb. 7 may have attracted concern, but the grounds search by the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and K-9 units was simply a periodic training exercise. The department’s two dogs are in a training group with others in nearby communities, including Iowa City and Coralville, and they meet regularly for training days like this one.

“It kind of seems like a big, crazy production,” Chief Deputy Shawn Ellingson said. “You get a whole bunch of dogs and a whole bunch of police cars from a whole bunch of agencies. But it’s just a convenient time that there are a lot of dogs available to do a huge place.”

The school invites the K-9 training group, and when they arrive, the students go into a low level lockdown during the sweep.

“Basically, the kids are in the classrooms, and they stay put until we’re done. When it’s done, everyone is free to go,” Ellingson explained, adding that the event takes less than an hour.

The high school reported in an email to parents that they returned to their normal schedule at 8:58 a.m. and no illegal or dangerous items were discovered.

According to the Washington County dispatch report, the locker and vehicle search turned up tobacco/vape products, alcohol, and falsified driver’s licenses belonging to an underage student, against whom charges are pending.

Later in the day, an underage student in possession of a vape product was reported on campus and was issued a citation.