Drug paraphernalia, e-cigs, taken by police after found in cars at Nute parking lot

Nute High and Middle School, (Courtesy photo)

MILTON - The principal at Nute High and Middle School today released a statement to The Rochester Voice regarding school officials' discovery of tobacco products, e-cigarettes and drug paraphernalia found in students' cars in the school parking lot on Monday.

The statement, which was also sent to parents, indicates that on Monday afternoon Nute Principal Jan Radowicz said she and another employee of the school went up to the parking lot to get something from one of the cars and noticed that many did not have the proper school permit.

"We soon saw that several cars had e-cigarettes, tobacco juice, and drug paraphernalia in plain view," the statement reads. "Once we saw these items, we could not ignore them. We contacted (Milton Police) so an officer could take possession of these items."

In the school statement written by Radowicz, she notes that having such items are against school policy, and that students who park at the school sign a consent form allowing their vehicles to be searched.

Radowicz continued that while they did have the authority to search the cars, they did not, only allowing a Milton officer to confiscate the prohibited material they had seen in certain vehicles.

She also noted that prohibited items like "tobacco product, e-cigarettes, or liquid nicotine" are not allowed on any school grounds.

Radowicz declined to comment on the number of cars in which prohibited items were found or what, if any, punishment might await those found to have violated school policy.

Milton Police Chief was not immediately available to comment on whether any criminal charges might be forthcoming.