PORT ANGELES — A small amount of suspected methamphetamine has been destroyed and a search of the Franklin Elementary School playground found no other drugs, said Port Angeles Police Sgt. Kevin Miller.
Port Angeles School District parents were alerted to the discovery in an email sent Friday.
“A baggie was found on the upper playground and turned into a teacher,” Miller said. “We were called afterward.”
A police officer and a custodian searched the grounds but didn’t find anything else, Miller said.
Miller said the police officer suspected “a little bit” of methamphetamine based on the officer’s training and experience.
After the bag was taped up for disposal, it weighed 7.7 grams, Miller said.
“People don’t usually leave stuff like that lying around, so it probably just fell out of someone’s pocket,” he said. “We just put it in for destruction.”
There’s no use testing it because too many people have handled it, he said.
“The safety and well-being of our students remains our top priority,” Tanner Zahrt, director of communications for the school district, wrote in his note to parents. “We will continue to evaluate our safety practices in collaboration with law enforcement to keep our campuses safe.
“This incident is a good reminder to purposefully engage in a conversation with your children about safe practices in our community.
“Discussing what to do if they encounter unfamiliar substances can empower children to make informed, safe decisions.”
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Reporter Brian Gawley can be reached at brian.gawley@ peninsuladailynews.com.
