FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, June 5, 2025

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

Attorney General Jackley Congratulates LET Class Recruits Graduating Friday

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley congratulates the 36 students who graduate Friday from the state Basic Law Enforcement Certification Course in Pierre.

“The Basic Law Enforcement Certification Course is a rigorous 13-week training where students are challenged in different areas of law enforcement,” said Attorney General Jackley. “Congratulations to the recruits who have committed themselves to serving their communities and South Dakota as law enforcement officers.”

The recruits represent 29 different state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies. The certification course is required for the students to become fully qualified law enforcement officers in South Dakota.

Graduates are required to complete 520 hours of 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 ceremony starts at 10 a.m. CDT in the George S. Mickelson Criminal Justice Center in Pierre. Attorney General Jackley will be the keynote speaker.

Members of the 196th Basic Law Enforcement Certification Course and their law enforcement agency are:

Sadie Bartle, Rapid City Police Department; Carson Between Lodges, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety; David Briesemeister, Mitchell Police Department; Alex Burkel, Charles Mix County Sheriff’s Department; Andrea Carlson, Edmunds County Sheriff’s Department; Jesse Cummings, Box Elder Police Department; Kevin Peterson, Brookings Police Department; Parker DeRouchey, Corson County Sheriff’s Office.

Steven Diaconu, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office; Kody Elbert, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks; Andrew Erickson, Brookings County Sheriff’s Office; Jacen Hancock, Hughes County Sheriff’s Office; Christopher Jackson, Kingsbury County Sheriff’s Office; Nathan Johnson, Rapid City Police Department; Trey Kelderman, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks; Chance Kerner, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office; Kendon Koep, Watertown Police Department.

Jacob Kumpf, Brown County Sheriff’s Office; Zane Lewis, Pierre Police Department; Josef Long Solider, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety; Clint Mitchell, Sturgis Police Department; Andrew Nelson, McCook County Sheriff’s Office; Jonathan Otter, Faulk County Sheriff’s Office; Joe Pham, Elk Point Police Department; Jazlyn Phelps, Rapid City Police Department; Tabor Schabot, Aberdeen Police Department; Kaitlyn Schmeling, Watertown Police Department.

Alexander Sorenson, Potter County Sheriff’s Office; Jackson Spurr, Spink County Sheriff’s Office; Troy Thompson, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office; Casey Uthe, Lyman County Sheriff’s Office; Jimmy Wade, Wagner Police Department; James Waldrop, Hand County Sheriff’s Office; Nathan Williams, Harding County Sheriff’s Office; Thane Witt, Sisseton Police Department; Paetyn Yeshulas, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.

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