Pierre, Other Departments Gain New Officers After Academy Graduation Friday

PIERRE, (KCCR) — A number of new law enforcement officers are hitting the streets after they graduated the 198th Basic Law Enforcement Certification Course Friday. The 45 students represent 31 different state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies. Among the newest officers to serve central South Dakota are Clay Ambach and W Barrett Martin with the Pierre Police Department; Jon Esmay with the Murdo Police Department; Dustin Baxter, Jr. with the Mellette County Sheriff’s Office and Ramiro Romero and Michael Volz with the Mobridge Police Department. The new officers were required to complete 520 hours of course work over a 13-week period that included instruction in the law, arrest control tactics, firearms instruction, emergency vehicle handling and criminal investigations. Six of the new officers represent Tribal law enforcement agencies. The new officers represent 17 police department; nine sheriff’s offices; four Tribal agencies and the Division of Criminal Investigation.