FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 13, 2025

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

Attorney General Jackley Honors Those Graduating Today From Basic Telecommunicator Certification Course

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley congratulates the 24 students who graduate this Friday (today) from the state Basic Telecommunicator Certification Course.

“Telecommunicators are the first voice that people hear when they call 9-1-1,” said Attorney General Jackley, who will be the keynote speaker at today’s graduation. “Telecommunicators are the ones who dispatch first responders to emergencies.”

Graduation completes the two-week course for the students who represent 16 different law enforcement or communication centers statewide. The course includes training and hands-on exercises on issues such as public safety telecommunications, how to respond to questions from the caller, how to handle both emergency and non-emergency calls for service, and how to prioritize multiple incidents happening at one time.

Instructors are staff from the state Division of Criminal Investigation’s Office of Law Enforcement Training, which is part of the Attorney General’s Office; experienced 911 telecommunicators from across the state, and public safety stakeholders.

Today’s graduation starts at 3:30 p.m. in the George S. Mickelson Criminal Justice Center in Pierre.

Members of the 77th session of the Basic Telecommunicator Certification Course and their law enforcement organization are:

*** Rebecca Alexander, Central South Dakota Communications.

*** Kimberly Andrades-Zamora, Metro Communications.

*** Chaundra Barron, Metro Communications.

*** Dylan Bartram, Central South Dakota Communications.

*** Hannah Bates, Moody County Sheriff’s Office.

*** Amber Benway, Clay Area Emergency Communications.

*** Chloe DePew, Pennington County Emergency Services Communication Center.

*** Janita Holt-Yellow, Fall River County Sheriff’s Office.

*** Kayleene Holzer, Brown County Communications.

*** Maria Homola, Meade County Sheriff’s Office.

*** Izabel Johnson, Spearfish Police Department.

*** Jason Kraft, Spink County Sheriff’s Office.

*** Chel Larsen, Charles Mix County Sheriff’s Office.

*** Julie Lightbourn, Miner County Sheriff’s Office.

*** Kortni Nester, Metro Communications.

*** Amanda Perez, Mobridge Police Department.

*** Asa Pettigrew, Brown County Communications.

*** Cheyenne Pullman, Meade County Sheriff’s Office.

*** Camilla Searby, Rosebud Police Department.

*** Ethan Shelsta, Watertown Police Department.

*** Haylee Waldrop, Pennington County Emergency Services Communication Center.

*** Hunter West, Metro Communications.

*** John Yeary, Winner Police Department.

*** Jamie Zimmerman, Metro Communications.

-30-