What drugs can Centurion detect?
Centurion can detect most recreational and illegal substances including marijuana, heroine, methamphetamine, cocaine, Xanax, and Ecstasy as well as alcohol. As new drugs enter the market we will bring that new skill to our dogs.

Why do parents need this service?
Any parent who has a child in middle school, high school or college and wants the assurance that his or her child(ren) are not involved with drugs of any kind.

Upon graduation from high school, half of all students report having tried drugs. Early intervention can have a significant impact on the future of the child(ren) who are among those who have experimented with these substances.

Are there other individuals a parent should consider?
If your child(ren) have a caregiver such as a live-in nanny or you have other household help, you may want to be certain that no drugs have been brought into your home.

Do others, besides parents, need this service?
Indeed, there are circumstances in which private business owners may wish to have a Centurion search conducted for the safety of all employees and to eliminate liability issues. Likewise, educational institutions may wish to engage Centurion to be certain their facilities are certifiably drug-free.

In some matrimonial disputes, when alleged drug use may impact custody matters, Centurion can be a less extreme alternative to resolving issues, without the involvement of law enforcement.

I have reason to believe my child has experimented with marijuana. Do I really need this service?
Yes, marijuana is known as a gateway drug. Research indicates that 3 out of 4 kids who try marijuana will experiment with more addictive and life-threatening drugs. 

Also, marijuana is highly available; casual users sometimes start dealing in marijuana as a means of funding their own marijuana purchases. Hence, the casual use of marijuana can escalate into a more serious breach of the law. The implications of legal conviction follow your children for the rest of their lives. This includes restriction from federal funds for college loans, acknowledgement of drug convictions for employment and inclusion in national law enforcement databases.

And keep in mind, marijuana is by no means harmless to the health: Marijuana users may have many of the same respiratory problems that tobacco smokers have, such as chronic cough and more frequent chest colds. The daily use of 1 to 3 marijuana joints can produce the same lung damage and potential cancer risk as smoking five times as many cigarettes.

What occurs during a Centurion search?
We ask to perform the search while the family (except the homeowner) is out of the house; this includes pets. (The homeowner must be present; Centurion cannot and will not enter a domicile without a signed agreement from the legal homeowner. This agreement also guarantees the complete confidentiality of the transaction.) Our dogs go from room-to-room and if they pick up a scent, the dog is trained to sit and the Centurion handler marks the spot. The search continues through the rest of the house and automobile.

Searches performed while the party-of-concern is not present are a critical success factor—as not only does it reduce conflict and anxiety, it also helps to retain discretion, should a subsequent search be warranted.

What if Centurion finds something?
If the dog identifies a scent, Centurion does not seek out the drugs – that is left to the homeowner after the visit. In fact, Centurion will NOT locate the drugs, nor dispose of them. Centurion does not even document results in its client records: everything is completely confidential.

Do I only need to engage Centurion once?
That depends on your findings. If Centurion makes a positive finding once, you may wish to schedule regular visits until you are sure that your intervention has successfully dissuaded your child from drug use.

Just as you get regular medical check-ups, you may also want the reassurance as your child matures that no drug use has entered into the picture: for instance, when your college freshman comes home on break or your middle school child moves into high school.

I have a good relationship with my kids. I trust them. Why would I use Centurion?
Regrettably, a child may bend to peer pressure or many other influences, particularly during the difficult adolescent, teen and early adulthood years. Regardless of the loving nature of your relationships with your children, most kids will not admit to drug use, especially if they view it as harmless. Yet, most research – and thousands of parents – can attest to the introduction of drugs into children's' lives even within a loving and stable family environment.

Isn't breaching my children's trust just as bad as them using drugs?
Only you can answer this question, but experts—and particularly those parents who have watched their children's drug use escalate with calamitous results—would never claim, “Ignorance is bliss.” Ruth A. Peters (author and clinical psychologist) view can be found on MSNBC . In addition, Partnership for Drug Free America and Education.com provide their perspective.

If your child has denied using drugs, but a search determines otherwise: who has breached whose trust? If no drugs are found, you have strengthened your trust.

Besides the health risks, are there other ramifications to drug use I should consider?
Absolutely. Increasingly laws are placing accountability on parents for the actions of their children. Should your child be involved in an incident in which liability can be assessed, you may be held responsible. Should a law enforcement agency find your teenager in possession of drugs, there's a good chance the law enforcement records will become permanent—meaning your child's future may be impacted. For instance, a record of marijuana possession can disqualify your child for student loans. The consequences can be far-reaching and are often overlooked.

Is Centurion affiliated with law enforcement or other government agencies?
No. Centurion is a privately held corporation offering confidential, non-invasive detection services.

What is the reliability of your service?
The search is a “snapshot in time,” meaning we cannot guarantee you that drugs were not present last week or won't turn up next weekend. A Centurion search can only discover what it currently present. Our dogs are trained to alert on the odor of narcotics which includes residual (lingering odor found on clothing or anything tainted hands have touched). We do know children are less likely to take drugs to school—they have limited hiding places and often feel their rooms are “off limits.” If they are active with drugs, most likely they will hide them in their room.

If I do locate drugs after the Centurion search, what do I do?
Centurion will give you a packet of information to help you access professionals who have you and your child's best interests at heart. The Resource Kit Centurion provides includes tips on dealing with the situation and dozens of resources on drug prevention and abuse. If you confirmed the presence of drugs, you should consider scheduling a follow-up visit with Centurion after a suitable interval.

How are these dogs trained?
Centurion canines are trained by a professional trainer of impeccable reputation, Mel Helmick of K-9 Kampus. In addition to the recognition her company has garnered over the years for its methods and the high quality of its training, Centurion canines and handlers are certified with the World Detector Dog Organization (WDDO). Centurion canines receive weekly training to maintain their detection and security abilities.