Jackley to Honor 36 Recruits at Pierre Graduation
South Dakota's Attorney General will recognize recruits from 24 state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies completing basic training.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Law Enforcement
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley will honor 36 recruits graduating from the Basic Law Enforcement Training Program in Pierre on Nov. 13, 2026, at a 10 a.m. CT ceremony. The recruits represent 24 state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies.
Why it matters
Completing the certification course is required for recruits to become fully qualified law enforcement officers in South Dakota. The graduating class will join agencies across the state as they take on frontline public safety roles.
The 520-hour, 13-week certification course is the required step before recruits can work as fully qualified officers, with graduation scheduled for Nov. 13, 2026. Specific assignments for graduates have not been detailed in the source.
The players
Marty Jackley
Marty Jackley is the Attorney General of South Dakota, the state's chief legal officer, who is honoring the graduating recruits.
South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation
The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation is the state agency whose full-time staff teach core instruction in the training program.
The details
The course covers the law, arrest control tactics, firearms, vehicle handling, and criminal investigations. It is taught by full-time staff from the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and adjunct instructors from law enforcement agencies across the state, with the ceremony held at Larkspur Landing in Pierre.
Timeline
Nov. 13, 2026, 10 a.m. CT: Graduation ceremony at Larkspur Landing, 1908 N. Garfield Ave., Pierre.
Law Enforcement Pipeline
The graduation adds 36 newly certified recruits to the state's law enforcement workforce, drawn from state, tribal, and local agencies that rely on the Division of Criminal Investigation-led curriculum. The class continues the state's standardized certification pathway for officers across its jurisdictions.
Graduates will begin working as certified officers for agencies across South Dakota, adding trained personnel to communities served by state, tribal, and local departments. Residents may see these new officers in patrol and investigative roles as they enter service.
The takeaway
Certification requires 520 hours of training across 13 weeks, so newly graduated officers have completed substantial instruction in law, firearms, and investigations before serving. Readers interested in how officers are prepared can follow the training process through state law enforcement coverage.
Further reading
Explore more South Dakota Law Enforcement coverage for context on how officers are trained and certified across the state.
