Bus driver drops young drug suspects at police HQ

The quick-thinking driver believed he smelled marijuana as he took the students to CedarBridge Academy yesterday morning.

Instead of dropping the bus full of students off at school as usual he delivered them directly to police officers.

The driver pulled into the yard of the command centre at Police Headquarters in Prospect at about 8:20am.

Police officers boarded the bus with sniffer dogs and a quantity of suspected controlled drug was seized. Officers are believed to have found several twists of cannabis on the students.

Three students were arrested — two on suspicion of possessing a controlled drug and the other for using offensive words.

Those children on the bus who were not involved in the alleged drug-possession were instructed to walk to the neighbouring school.

Ellen-Kate Horton, permanent secretary for the Ministry of Transportation, said: “The bus driver needs to be commended, he certainly did just the right thing.”

Police spokesman Robin Simmons said: “The Bermuda Police Service would like to comment the actions of the bus driver who proactively dealt with the situation, notifying police at the earliest opportunity and driving the bus to a police premises so that necessary action could be taken.”

Mr. Simmons added that police inquiries into the incident were ongoing.

Larry Mussenden, the chairman of the CedarBridge Academy board of governors, said the school had a zero-tolerance policy on drugs.

He said: “We take the conduct of students very seriously. Most of the students on the bus had nothing to do with what went on.

“The majority of CedarBridge students yesterday participated in classes and had a normal and productive day at school as they should have.”

Mr. Mussenden, who is the former Attorney General, added: “We expect students to adhere to the laws of Bermuda at all times.

“We expect the best behaviour from students at CedarBridge at all times, whether they are in school, on the bus or in the city.

“We encourage this especially when they are in their school uniform and in most cases students adhere to this and meet our expectations.”

CedarBridge deputy principal Anthony Wade said it was “a police matter” and refused to say whether the school would take any action against the students involved.

No one from the Ministry of Education would comment.