Glacier students face drug charges

Four Glacier High School students have been arrested during the past week for allegedly distributing prescription medications to fellow students at school, according to the Kalispell Police Department.

The apparent spike in drug activity began on Friday with the arrest of a 16-year-old girl and climaxed Monday when a 16-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl were hospitalized with symptoms consistent with overdoses on prescription medication.

Both teens have since recovered, according to School Resource Office Jason Parce of the Kalispell Police Department.

Parce said a 16-year-old girl was arrested Monday in connection with the incident while two 16-year-old boys were arrested on Tuesday and Wednesday for allegedly distributing prescription drugs.

The final two arrests were the result of students taking the initiative

 to rid the school of illegal drugs, Parce said.

“On Monday, when they saw the two kids being carried out on stretchers, I think they said, ‘We’re tired of this. It’s enough,’” Parce said.

In addition to the four students arrested, Parce said charges are pending but have not yet been filed against two other students.

There has been an above-average number of arrests at Glacier High School this school year, according to the Kalispell Police Department.

Parce said the spike is due to increased cooperation among law enforcement, school administrators, students, staff and parents and is not attributable to an overall increase in drug use.

He said students have been instrumental in notifying adults of drug use when they see it since the start of the school year.

In the first two months of classes at Glacier High School, Parce said there were 26 drug-related arrests — including six that resulted in felonies. Most of those involved prescription drugs or marijuana, he said.

Parce, who is serving his second year as resource officer at the school, credits his familiarity with students as another reason for the arrests. He said that, overall, students want the drug activity to stop.

“The kids are just tired of it,” he said.

Reporter Eric Schwartz may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at eschwartz@dailyinterlake.com