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Minnehaha County sheriff stresses community policing, warns of fentanyl and meth impacts in Dell Rapids
Summary
Sheriff Mike Nelstead and county deputies told the Dell Rapids City Council they prioritize community policing and local familiarity, described deputy training and shared resources with federal and state agencies, and said fentanyl and methamphetamine are driving overdose and violent-crime trends the county is seeing locally.
Sheriff Mike Nelstead of Minnehaha County updated the Dell Rapids City Council on law-enforcement staffing, training and crime trends, saying the county aims to place familiar deputies in contract towns to strengthen community policing.
Nelstead told the council the county absorbs about 25% of contract costs while charging the city roughly 75%, and said the sheriff office provides the school resource officer at no charge. "Community policing is things that you can do to show you're part of the community and not apart from the community," he said, describing an effort to have deputies who know local residents and regular events.
Nelstead outlined the county drug-enforcement resources: a multi-jurisdictional unit based in Sioux Falls that works local cases with the DEA, state DCI and Homeland Security, and about 18 officers assigned to drug investigations. He warned that fentanyl and methamphetamine are present in the county, tying overdoses and other incidents to large-scale trafficking: "If you read about an overdose ... these drugs are tied to drug cartels."
Council members asked about local priorities: a bike-safety/community event (the sheriff confirmed a July 20 event), traffic enforcement practices and the deterrent effect of visible patrols, and juvenile violent crime, which Nelstead said has increased in the region. He emphasized training standards for deputies (multiple multi-hour blocks) and said many deputies are also EMTs, which expands onsite emergency care.
The sheriff invited Dell Rapids residents to engage with deputies at events and to report suspicious activity. He and Captain Adam Zizka (identified in the transcript also as Zyska) remained available for follow-up questions.
