A dozen students face disciplinary action after police sweep through South Ripley

Wanda English Burnett, Editor

Last week students at South Ripley Jr. Sr. High School got a surprise visit from Versailles Town Marshal Joe Mann and other officers when they brought in the canine units to search for drugs.

“We found a very small amount of marijuana,” noted Marshal Mann, which belonged to two 18-year-olds.

What concerned the Versailles officer the most was the amount of ammunition, knives and a gun, that was found in various student vehicles in the parking area at the school. He said there were about ten to 12 students in violation after the search was completed on Wednesday, November 21.

According to high school Principal Bob Meyer, there were a dozen students that some type of disciplinary action was taken against after the officers swept through the school. He noted that the safety of students was not at issue. He has talked with the students who were in violation and their parents and noted the gun, ammunition and knives were connected with the recently opened hunting season. “These are students who were careless,” he told the Osgood Journal Monday afternoon.

Handling the situation with a common sense approach, he noted that while we live in a rural area, it is different times. Students are not allowed to bring any type of weapon or ammunition on the school property. He said two students were suspended for having remnants of marijuana in their possession.

The school was on lock down for about an hour and a half as officers searched the school and parking area.

Marshal Mann was assisted by canine units from the Rising Sun and Lawrenceburg police departments, their officers, Rodney Rimstead and Jacob Jump. Also assisting with the search were four troopers from the Indiana State Police, Versailles Post: Robert Garcia, Jeremy Franklin, Brent Miller and Chris Richey.