An unnamed fifth grader at an Indiana school was bitten by a police drug dog during an anti-drug Red Ribbon Awareness Week at the Clay County Courthouse last Thursday. The bite occurred after the dog's police handler handed the boy a bag of real drugs.

[image:1 align:left]The Brazil elementary school student was attacked by the dog during a pretend drug raid staged as part of the week's festivities. He was bitten on the left calf and was taken to a local hospital for treatment immediately after the incident.

The fake drug raid, complete with actors, was carried out to help "educate Clay County fifth graders on drug awareness," but they got a lesson in drug war awareness instead. The police hid a small amount of drugs on the kid's person to demonstrate how drug dogs can find extremely small amounts of drugs in a scenario "under the exclusive control and supervision of members of the court and law enforcement."

Oddly enough, drug dogs are not typically used to sniff individuals, but are instead commonly used to sniff vehicles and buildings.

"It was an unfortunate accident," Police Chief Clint McQueen told the Brazil Times. "Wish it hadn't happened like that but it did. We are trying to evaluate (the incident) to make sure nothing like this happens again."