FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Contact: Tony Mangan, Communications Director, 605-773-6878

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley honors the 45 recruits who graduate Friday, March 7, from the Basic Law Enforcement Training Program in Pierre.

“This is an important day for the recruits, their families, and their departments,” said Attorney General Jackley. “South Dakota just became even safer today with our newest officers.”

The 45 recruits, who represent 24 different state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies, completed 13 weeks of 520 hours of course work. The certification course is required for the students to become fully qualified law enforcement officers in South Dakota.

Graduates are required to complete course work that includes instruction in the law, arrest control tactics, firearms, vehicle handling, and criminal investigations. The training program is taught by full-time staff from the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and adjunct instructors from law enforcement agencies from across the state.

Friday’s graduation starts at 10 a.m. in the George S. Mickelson Criminal Justice Center in Pierre. Attorney General Jackley is the keynote speaker.

Members of the 195th Basic Law Enforcement Certification Course and their law enforcement agency are:

Box Elder Police Department: Garrett Knuth, Brandon Reiter.

Brookings Police Department: Erik Adrian, Devon Isler, Margaret Schliepsiek.

Chamberlain Police Department: Corey Blankinship.

Charles Mix County Sheriff’s Office: Cole Menholt.

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe: Kaytonna Bartlett.

Day County Sheriff’s Office: Garret Thompson.

Haakon County Sheriff’s Office: Brayden Doolittle.

McCook County Sheriff’s Office: Todd Obele, Jr.

McPherson County Sheriff’s Office: Jorge Olivar.

Mitchell Police Department: Cierra Dailey.

Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety: Ronin Rodriguez.

Pennington County Sheriff’s Department: Isaac Broussard, Annyka Petrik.

Rapid City Police Department: Royal Bauer, Ethan Bishop, Tyler Cameron, Kaidan Hopson, Shelby Swets.

South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation: Stacy Palm.

South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department: Kenneth Jimerson.

South Dakota Highway Patrol: Dillon Axtell, Justin Becker, Anthony DeBarrows, Carson Gohl, Ty Lilla, Benjamin Lindgren, Evan Mattson, Keagen Schoenfelder, Mikel Tomczak, Paige Worth.

Standing Rock Game, Fish and Wildlife: Leslie White Cloud.

Union County Sheriff’s Office: Zachariah Brown, Julia Ensminger.

University of South Dakota: Zoe Hassler, William Rueppel.

Vermillion Police Department: Juan Moreno, Johnathan Orosz.

Wagner Police Department: Robert Abdo, Jr.

Walworth County Sheriff’s Office: James Ryan.

Watertown Police Department: Austin Van Overbeke.

Yankton Police Department: Austin Reining, Rebecca Weber.

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