Last week, the Selma Police Department and Dallas County Sheriff’s Department held a joint surprise search at three area schools.

The search was held to look for guns and drugs. Officials found a little pot and some brass knuckles, but little else.

In the wake of the shooting by a lone gunman at Virginia Tech who claimed the lives of 32 students before killing himself two weeks ago, student safety at high school and college campuses have been under scrutiny.

Assistant District Attorney Shannon Lynch accompanied officers during their searches. District Attorney Michael Jackson said the purpose was to make schools safer.

“We want to make sure that the kids have a safe and drug-free environment to learn,” Jackson said. “These raids at the schools are going to be ongoing and random to make sure of that. Hopefully, we can do this at other schools in the future.”

At each school, students were assembled and told of the intentions of the Selma Narcotics Unit, Dallas County Sheriff’s Deputies, Tuscaloosa County Sheriffs Department K-9, and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.

Future searches could take place at any area high schools, officials said.

When parents send their children to school each day, they want to know that the school is a safe environment.

School administrators and teachers deserve to work in a safe environment. And students certainly need to be learning in a place that is secure.

While they are other measures that can be implemented, these searches are one step in ensuring that’s the case.