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ESCANABA -- According to Sheriff Gary Ballweg, crime is declining in Michigan, but rising in Delta County.

Law enforcement has a very effective weapon in the constant war of getting narcotics off the street, a police K-9.

“Our dogs are all passive-alert dogs,” explains Deputy Tom Draze of the Menominee County Sheriff Department. “So when they come into the odor of narcotics, they actually sit down. So that's our indication."

Five officers practiced with their dogs for real-life situations like searching for hidden stashes of marijuana.

“When we stop a car, there are indicators,” explains Sergeant Tom Lewis of the Delta County Sheriff Department. “That kind of put us on alert that there might be something wrong here. We’ll take the dog out and he can either prove us wrong or right."

The dogs also help to take drugs off of school grounds.   

Escanaba High School is working with Public Safety and the Sheriff's Department to conduct unannounced drug searches in the school and the parking lot.

Principal Doug Leisenring said that the presence of a police dog plays a big role in helping to keep the campus drug-free.

“I've gotten a lot of positive parental support on the issue,” says Leisenring. “They're glad that we're checking, glad that we've taken a hard line on that."

Getting busted for drugs is a harsh reality check for students, but hardened drug offenders can sometimes turn violent. 

“Sometimes they're going to fight, sometimes they're going to run,” says Lewis. “And that's when you hit your bail out button and he'll apprehend the suspect for you and make him stop fighting you."

While drug searches are a big part of K-9 duties, they're also used to find missing people and are the first ones sent in when there's a building search for criminals.