The South Dakota Police Chiefs Association presented the first ever South Dakota Police Officer of the year award during their annual banquet in Deadwood. The award was created to recognize any law enforcement officer in the State of South Dakota below the rank of Chief, Sheriff or Director who exemplifies law enforcement in the state.
Gary Will of the Huron Police Department, is a vice president of the South Dakota Police Chiefs Association…
On July 21, 2013 at 205 a.m., Officer Jeremy McNinch of the Yankton Police Department was flagged down by a woman who stated that a friend of hers was involved in an argument and left very upset heading towards the Discovery Bridge where the woman went into the river.
McNinch along with Corporal Brad Parker, and Officers Monty Rothenberger and Rob Buechler (beek-ler) responded to the river where Buechler noticed a person in the water, 25 to 30 feet from the shore floating with the face the only visible part of the body above water.
Together they were able to get the woman to shore and with the help of Parker and Rothenberger get her out of the river and into an ambulance saving the woman’s life.
Will said the four officers displayed great courage…
Will said their actions at great personal risk saving the life of another represents the highest ideals of policing and reflects greatly not only on themselves, but on the Yankton Police Department and on all law enforcement officers in the State of South Dakota.
