SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The South Dakota Sheriff's Association closely monitors the legislature and anticipates a busy session.
Executive Director Staci Ackerman says the Association pinpoints legislation that impacts sheriff's departments and county budgets.
Ackerman says counties were successful in the last legislative session in getting more money but sheriff's departments are still struggling. She says the Association tends to monitor more legislation than they carry.
Ackerman says there is a real struggle in the ranks of law enforcement.
She says counties handle everything that occurs after an arrest from the jail through the court process. She says there are 66 counties in South Dakota and only 26 jails.
She says sheriffs are voicing a strain on their resources.
Ackerman stresses the need of collecting better data so the state can accurately identify what is driving the increase on limited resources and bring that information back to policy makers
She says the solution to easing the burden on sheriff's departments won't happen overnight. She adds that it's especially difficult keeping law enforcement in South Dakota, especially in the rural parts of the state.