RAPID CITY, S.D. – The South Dakota Army National Guard’s 235th Military Police Company, of Rapid City, worked alongside Suriname Army military police on a Subject Matter Expert Exchange, or SMEE, June 14 at the Range Road armory.

The SMEE is part of the South Dakota-Suriname State Partnership Program, where the two entities exchanged ideas on police tactics and techniques. The SMEE was held in conjunction with this year’s Golden Coyote exercise. Suriname is one of six foreign nation’s participating in this year’s Golden Coyote.

The soldiers discussed investigation techniques, restraint tactics, riot and crowd control and vehicle searches. The Suriname soldiers also met with investigators from Rapid City Police Department on different types of tactics they use.

Sgt. Boyd Reiwnitz, of Mitchell, a member of the 235th, worked directly with the soldiers from Suriname. This was the second time Reiwnitz participated in the SMEE. Reiwnitz traveled to Suriname last summer with a squad from the 235th and spent two weeks working with the Suriname military police.

“It was just as rewarding visiting with the soldiers down in Suriname as it was here,” said Reiwnitz. “They were very receptive to the new techniques and then they would show how they preformed similar techniques.”

The Suriname police are members of a 200-soldier unit and are an active police force in Suriname.

“It was interesting to learn how their military police units operate compared to how our units run,” said Reiwnitz.

Suriname and the SDNG have been exchanging ideas and developing a partnership since 2006 when the SPP was officially established between the two entities.

Similarities between the two partners makes the relationship beneficial because they can use and share ideas that will work well for each other. South Dakota was chosen to partner with Suriname because of their similarities in population size, land mass, agricultural based economies, and lack of significant language barriers.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Maj. Anthony Deiss at (605) 737-6721 or cell (605) 431-8753, or e-mail pao@sd.ngb.army.mil.