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Sheriff reports year-end jail and patrol data; deputies note rise in DUI and narcotics arrests
Summary
The sheriff presented monthly and year-end statistics showing increases in DUI arrests, narcotics arrests and civil process activity. Commissioners discussed public-education options and grants for traffic enforcement.
The Codington County sheriff presented the office’s monthly and year-end activity on Jan. 28, reporting higher numbers of DUI arrests and narcotics-related arrests in 2024 compared with previous years.
The sheriff (speaking as the office representative) reported 150 DUIs in 2024, up from 91 in prior recent years, and 143 narcotics arrests compared with 117 the year before. The office recorded 7,046 calls for service in 2024, 2,557 bookings, an average daily jail population of approximately 51.49 and 203 bookings in December alone.
The sheriff also summarized detention-center programs: the 24/7 sobriety program (commonly called the 247 program) produced roughly 18,001 individual PBT (preliminary breath test) events in 2024 with 91 positive events; SCRAM ankle monitors and remote-breath devices were used with a small number of failures, the sheriff said. The detention center collected roughly $91,240 in fees tied to the 24/7 program and remitted funds to the county general fund.
Commissioners noted the increase in DUI arrests and asked whether the sheriff’s office had pursued federal or state highway safety grants to expand enforcement. The sheriff said deputies had attended training and considered grant opportunities but had not pursued a large, ongoing grant program because of staffing and reporting burdens. The sheriff said the office runs public safety messages at holidays and will continue outreach.
The sheriff also described courthouse-security screening statistics for 2024: security staff processed roughly 91,473 visitors through the security booth and intercepted 752 items classified as potential weapons; the screening booth was open 244 days in 2024, an average of about 375 visitors per open day.
Why it matters: higher DUI and narcotics arrest figures can indicate shifting enforcement needs and public-safety risks that may affect staffing, intergovernmental grants and public-education priorities.
What was not decided: commissioners did not approve new enforcement funding that day; they discussed outreach and possible public-education campaigns.
