Highway Patrol asks lawmakers for $5 million to replace aging aircraft; committee defers action

Colonel Casey Collins, superintendent of the South Dakota Highway Patrol, asked the joint committee on appropriations for $5,000,000 to replace the patrol’s aging fixed‑wing aircraft and to fund mission equipment, saying the plane is critical for search‑and‑rescue, fugitive apprehension and aerial overwatch across the state.

"What we're trying to accomplish here with Senate Bill 69 is we anticipate $3,000,000 of the requested appropriation to go towards the purchase of a used utility aircraft," Collins told the committee. "Two million of that is for the equipment that goes inside of it." He described the camera and electronics as major cost drivers: "The camera on this aircraft is incredibly expensive — it's $1,400,000 of that $2,000,000."

Collins said the patrol currently operates a 2004 Cessna T206 acquired in 2007 and is experiencing repeated equipment failures and long parts backorders that have grounded the aircraft for extended periods. "Those challenges resulted in the aircraft being grounded for over a quarter of the year — 95 days last year," he said, adding that parts like a piston cylinder were backordered for 22 months and some manufacturer support for the installed camera was discontinued in 2024.

Why it matters: the Highway Patrol's single dedicated law‑enforcement aircraft is often the first call for rural search missions and statewide tactical support. Collins said the patrol averages about 80 missions per year and that the current plane’s payload limits (about 464 pounds, which can drop to 48 pounds once crew and fuel are accounted for) and the need to operate at low altitudes limit mission effectiveness and crew safety.

Proponents included Stacy Ackerman, executive director of the South Dakota Sheriffs Association, and Jenna Severin, registered lobbyist for the South Dakota Police Chiefs Association, who emphasized search‑and‑rescue and public‑safety benefits. "When I put this out there for them to review, this bill got a resounding yes," Ackerman said. John Toong, Sioux Falls police chief, took part online and described the aircraft as a "behavior changer" during enforcement saturations.

An emotional appeal came from Christy Turman, who spoke about her father, a former Highway Patrol pilot who died in a 1993 crash that also killed then‑Governor Mickelson. "Please give that pilot the tools he needs to complete his mission and get home to his family," she said, noting that Highway Patrol pilots often operate alone.

Committee members pressed Collins on safety and procurement details: DOT aviation inspectors, he said, ground aircraft with known safety issues, but the current plane is "on the brink" because of age and parts shortages. Collins said the patrol is planning to purchase a turbine‑powered single‑engine used aircraft (target price about $3 million) if funding is approved; a comparable new airframe was quoted around $5 million. He said the new aircraft would have roughly double the payload (about 1,200 pounds), greater endurance (from 4–5 hours to about 10 hours), higher operational altitude (reducing tactical risk), and shorter flight times to regional centers.

The committee did not vote on the bill. The chair announced the committee would defer action to a later date after the presentation and questioning.

Next step: the bill will return to committee for further consideration and follow‑up on procurement details and Aeronautics Commission review.