Police officers and drug-sniffing dogs converged on a local high school Monday morning as part of a random drug search.

When Greater Johnstown High School students went to school Monday morning, they had no idea that their lockers would be searched by drug-sniffing dogs. The intent of the administration was to keep it a secret as the Johnstown police K-9 unit conducted a random drug sweep.

The school went into lockdown to keep students inside the classrooms and allow the police K9s to go inside to begin their hunt. The police handlers walked the dogs down each hallway in the building, letting them sniff the lockers, doorways and stairwells.

The dogs are trained to sniff out specific odors. To make sure they're are on task, police sometimes hide a small silver box that contains the scent of different drugs.

"It's a game to them," said Kevin Price, director of the Drug Task Force. "Once they find that odor and give a reaction, they get rewarded with their toy."

Monday's search didn't turn up any drugs, which is great news for the district. But the district said they'll continue the program and schedule more searches in the future.

"It's an absolutely wonderful thing," said Greater Johnstown High School Principal Michael Vuckovich. "We're very excited about this, and we're very pleased to make sure we're doing everything in our power to maintain a safe and orderly environment for all students."

Greater Johnstown was the first school in Cambria County to be sniffed out, but officials said they've scheduled random drug sweeps with other local districts in the coming weeks.