SDPCAandSDSAPresent2018Awards

SD Police Chiefs’ Association and SD Sheriffs’ Association Present 2018 Awards

The SD Police Chiefs’ and SD Sheriffs’ Association presentedanumberofAwardsattheJointSpringTraining held in Deadwood onApril 18, 2018.

Citizen’s Award of Merit

TheCitizen’sAwardofMeritisgivenjointlybytheSouth Dakota Police Chiefs’ and South Dakota Sheriffs’ Associations.Theawardispresentedtoacitizen,company or group who performed an exceptional act or demonstrated a continued pattern of actions that furthered the missions and goals of the SDPCAand SDSA, or who have made a significant contribution to the law enforcement profession in the State of South Dakota.

The recipient of this year’s Citizen’s Award of Merit is Chris Schafer, Hamlin County Director of Equalization. The following summary of events is from the nomination form submitted by his co-worker, Jessica Trautner. On August 17, 2017 we were traveling back to Castlewood, SD from Pierre. We pulled up to an accident. A semi pulling double trailers had hit a train. Chris immediately jumped out to help. The driver was pinned inside the cab. Two train engineers were trying to put the fire out, to no avail. Chris realized they weren’t going to get the fire out so he worked on getting the door open and getting the

Chief Lee McPeek, Watertown, SDCMA President presented the Citizen ’ s Award of Merit to Chris Schafer.

driveroutofthesemi.Hewasabletopullhimoutseconds before it was engulfed in flames. The 16 year old driver had multiple injuries, but Chris’s quick thinking and experience saved this young man. Chris was very brave. Duringandaftertheyoungman’srecovery,Chrishasbeen an encouragement and soundingboard for him. Anyone who knows Chris knows he would do it again tomorrow, because that’s who he is.

Officer of the Year Award

TheOfficeroftheYearAwardisgivenjointlybytheSouth Dakota Police Chiefs’ and South Dakota Sheriffs’ Associations. Allswornofficersareeligibletoreceivethe awardforexceptionalachievementinanypoliceendeavor, including extraordinary valor, crime prevention, investigative work, community policing, traffic safety, drug control and prevention, juvenile programs and training programs.

The recipient of this year’s Officer of the Year Award is Detective Joe Leveque, Sturgis Police Department. The followingisfromthenominationformsubmittedbyChief GeodyVanDewater,SturgisPoliceDepartment. Detective JoeLevequehasgoneaboveandbeyondforthekidsinour community. Last year Joe was approached and asked to help find a way financially to keep the local youth boxing club’s doors from closing. Joe took the initiative to seek out a national program called Police Athletic League (PAL). Joe started the program which is the one and only in the state. Joe’s goal was to help build the boxing program as well as give the Police Department a way to interact with local youth while strengthening the relationships between youth and police in hopes of deterring juvenile crime. Joe has been successful with securinggrantsanddonationslocallyaswellasnationally. Those funds have been used to purchase everything the boxing club needs to function. Joe has also secured buildingsfortheclubtopracticeandstoretheirequipment in. Joe’s success has continued to grow and he continually seeks grants to expand the PALprogram. In June, thanks to a grant Joe received from Warf Mines, we were able to start aYouth Mountain Bike club. This club has grown to over35youthregisteredtorideeverySaturday. Joe’sgoal istocontinuetoexpandandhopefullybringyouthtrapand skeetprogramtoSturgisinthenextyear.Thisisalreadyin the works.

Joe planned the local “day out” event that was put on by GF&P. This event brought in close to 100 kids from all over the local area. He was instrumental in getting donations, so we could feed all the kids and their parents as well as give every kid a fishing pole.

Joe is a solid leader of the Police Department. He has the respect of all the officers and continually does his job as a Sergeant and leads by example while keeping the goals and vision of the Department in mind. Joe has done all of this without compromising his performance and responsibilities.

Chief Geody VanDewater, Sturgis, presented the Officer of the Year Award to Detective Joe Leveque.

Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is given jointly by the South Dakota Police Chiefs’ and South Dakota Sheriffs’ Associations and is for law enforcement officers who willingly distinguish themselves through an act of courage, involving a risk of imminent serious injury or death, for the purpose of saving or protecting a human life or while taking an armed and immediately dangerous suspect into custody. Two Medal of HonorAwards were given at this year’s banquet.

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Colonel Craig Price presented the Medal of Honor to Trooper Devrin Clark

Trooper Devrin Clark The first recipient of this year’s Medal of Honor is Trooper Devrin Clark of the South DakotaHighwayPatrol.Thefollowingsummaryofevents is from the nomination form submitted by Captain Jason Husby,SouthDakotaHighwayPatrol.OnNovember26th, 2017, Trooper Devrin Clark was working along Interstate 229inSiouxFalls,SD.Atabout1638hoursheobserveda Silver Mitsubishi Endeavor (SUV) that appeared to be speeding in the 65 mile per hour zone. Trooper Clark checked the vehicle’s speed which revealed it was traveling 81 miles per hours. TrooperClarkcaughtupwiththevehicleandbegangoing through the typical protocol for conducting a traffic stop. He turned on his emergency lights and initially believed the vehicle was going to pull over near the interchange of Interstate 229 and Cliff Avenue. The Mitsubishi slowed down and began to move to the right side of the roadway. As the Mitsubishi reached the right shoulder instead of stopping, it accelerated rapidly. It drove on the right shoulder, passing two civilian vehicles and nearly striking one of them on the off ramp.

TrooperClarkproperlynotifieddispatchofthepursuitand asked for supervisor notification. Over the next two minutes the Mitsubishi began to operate in a manner that was very reckless and looked like something out of a movie scene. It was traveling at approximately 100 miles per hour, passing vehicles on the right shoulder and sometimes driving on the grass along the side of the road and in the median. The Mitsubishi came close to hitting severalcivilianvehiclesthatwereinthefarrightlane.The driving was erratic and at high speeds.

Ataboutthreeminutesintothepursuitthesuspecttookthe 10thStreetExit.Thevehiclewastravelingtoofastandlost controlnearthetopoftheExitRamp.Itstruckasignpole andeventuallytheconcretebridgebarrierontheoverpass.

Thevehiclecaughtfirealmostimmediatelyafterthecrash. Due to the violent impact of the crash, the driver was immobilized in the vehicle. Risking his own life, Trooper Clark approached the burning vehicle and pulled the youngfemaletosafety. Shewasun-abletomoveduetoa severe fracture to her right lower leg. After removing her fromthevehicle,whichwasstillonfire,TrooperClarkreapproached the vehicle to check for other occupants. Fortunately, there was no one else in the vehicle.

Thedecisionforanyofficerfacedwiththistypeofpursuit is to either discontinue the pursuit or remain in pursuit of the suspect vehicle. Both decisions have implied consequences, but Trooper Clark’s decision to remain in pursuit of the Mitsubishi was the correct decision. Based on the driver’s continued lack of regard, I have no doubt this manner of driving would have continued. Trooper Clark put his own life in danger to save that of a fleeing suspect. There is no higher calling for a law enforcement officer. The juvenile’s mother also thanked Trooper Clark for saving her daughter’s life.

Sheriff Tom Walburg, Lake County presented the Medal of Honor to Deputy Micah Hofman

Deputy Micah Hofman The second recipient of this year’s Medal of Honor is Deputy Micah Hofman, Lake CountySheriff’sOffice.Thefollowingsummaryofevents is from the nomination form submitted by Sergeant Isaac Kurtz, South Dakota Highway Patrol.

This letter is to nominate Deputy Micah Hofman with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office for the South Dakota Medal of Honor Award for his life saving actions he took the morning of May 3, 2017 in rural Lake County.

On May 3, 2017 at approximately 0200 hours, Deputy Hofman responded to the scene of an active shooting where a McCook County Deputy had been shot after a vehicle pursuit. Deputy Hofman drove his patrol vehicle into an active gunfight, picked up the injured deputy who wasseekingcoverbehindhispatrolvehicle,andevacuated himtosafety.DeputyHofmanthendrovethedeputytothe Madison Hospital. The deputy received a gunshot wound to his left arm. The suspect was later taken into custody afteraseveralhourstandoffinafield.Numerousagencies were on scene.

Deputy Hofman risked his own life driving into the active gun fight with a suspect who was heavily armed. Had he not taken this action, the injured deputy very well could have been killed.

Chief John Wainman Sr. Service Award

The Chief John Wainman Sr. Service Award is given for contributions by a member of the SDPCA which exceed the high standard and contributions normally made by members. This year’s Chief John Wainman Sr. Service Award was presented to Lieutenant Todd Brandt,Yankton Police Department. The following summary of events is from the nomination form submitted by Chief Brian Paulsen,Yankton Police Department.

OnTuesday,June13th,2017,LieutenantToddBrandtwas advised that Lyle Jeffs, a fugitive on the FBI’s Most Wanted List was reported to be in the Yankton area. Jeffs hadenteredalocalpawnshopandattemptedtopawnsome items. Lt. Brandt deducted that Jeffs would be camping in aremotearea,attemptingtoavoiddetection.Followingup onotherdutiesintheeveninghoursofJune14th,2017,Lt. Brandt noticed the license plates belonging to Jeffs’pickup truck. Brandt called for back-up, at which time Jeffs exited the outdoor bathroom at the local marina. Jeffs did not notice Brandt. Not wanting Jeffs to elude capture, Brandt put out a “Help an Officer” call and exited his personal vehicle and stopped Jeffs. Multiple units arrived at the scene and were directed to take Jeffs into custody, which was done without incident.

Lt. Todd Brandt took it upon himself to keep his communitysafeandsearchedforJeffsduringhisofftime. In talking with Lt. Brandt, he stated he felt sick knowing thatafugitivefromjusticeforapproximatelyoneyearwas living in his community.

Chief Brian Paulsen, Yankton presented the Chief John Wainman Sr. Service Award to Lieutenant Todd Brandt