NEWS

Mortgage Foreclosure Sale

No Pending Sales

(financial institutions holding the note usually bid the full amount of the debt, so the bidding starts at their amount)

April 2010

Candidates for Sheriff have filed for the 2010 Republican June primary election.

Officially running are: Incumbent Sheriff Alan McClain, 30-year LE veteran

Challenger Curt Hamburger, deputy sheriff of Faulk County, 2-year LE veteran

December 2009

New SDHP trooper Ben Lord has been assigned to Gettysburg. We wish to welcome him to our county.

December 2008

T.J. Serr has been accepted as a trooper cadet for the SDHP, leaving a vacancy for deputy Sheriff as of January 1.  We wish him the best of luck.

August 2008

T.J. Serr has been hired as Deputy Sheriff for Potter County, filling the vacancy left by Nickerson.  He is a North Dakota certified officer and will be living in Hoven.

February 2007

Gary Nickerson, formerly of Pierre, has been appointed Deputy Sheriff by Sheriff McClain.  He begins duties immediately.

November 2006

Alan McClain has won the general election for Potter County Sheriff.  He will take office immediately after the official canvass in two days, rather than the first Tuesday in January, due to the vacancy left by Miner.

June 2006

Primary Election Results

Sheriff McClain wins the June Primary Election by a 111-vote margin (817 votes cast). Third highest voter turnout in the state at 47%.

Effective July 1, 2006

Major changes to Sex-Offender Registrations will be in effect as of July 1, 2006.  There will be more stringent registration requirements and residential safety zone prohibitions.  Improved tracking procedures will also be implemented.

Chemical tests (blood) can no longer be refused by drivers on first and second offense DWI arrests.  This formerly applied only to felony third and subsequent arrests within 10 years of each other.

May 2006

Beginning July 1, 2006 the SD Law Enforcement Standards and Training Commission will be requiring 40-hours in-service training every two years to maintain a basic law-enforcement certification.  Information has yet to be furnished to single and two-officer agencies as to whether LET will expand their training locations to bring the training to them.

April 4:  Acting Sheriff Jerry Simon has resigned due to farming responsibilities and the County Board of Commissioners have appointed Deputy Sheriff Alan McClain as County Sheriff until the outcome of the November election for that position.

Sheriff marlin Miner resigns and pleads guilty to a misdemeanor "Embezzlement of Funds in Trust" charge. Is sentenced to restitution and 60 days county jail.  County Commissioners re-appoint Jerry Simon as acting Sheriff.

The Potter County Commission has finalized the Sheriff's Department budget with substantial funding cuts across the board. Sheriff Miner is suspended from duty by Governor Rounds due to an indictment. Former Sheriff Jerry Simon was appointed as interim Sheriff until the matter is settled, or until the elections this year.

Beginning January 1 the county Board of Commissioners have contracted with the city of Mobridge to provide 911 dispatching.
The four dispatchers at Gettysburg will lose their jobs in the move, with one being re-hired as an executive secretary.
Mobridge will handle all 9-1-1 calls and routine calls after business hours.

The City of Gettysburg is in the process of hiring a second officer, Gene King of Spearfish SD, to work under Chief Joseph Senyak.

Potter County Commissioners exploring options for 911 dispatch alternatives due to $40,000 loss of Gettysburg contract. Concerns were raised by Sheriff Simon as to safety concerns to Potter, Sully and parts of Faulk, Edmunds and Walworth Counties that are served by Potter County 911 dispatch. Further concerns over regular dispatch and officer/public safety were, of course, raised. A State Regional 911 center issue arises, and whether local emergencies are better handled by local dispatchers.

Being unable to reach an agreement to extend the contract for Potter County to provide law enforcement patrol within the city, the current contract will expire New Year's Eve. Apparently the city council felt they were not getting their $40,000 worth in dispatch services, nor the $25,000 (over three years) in law enforcement services, and could not reach an agreement with the county board of commissioners. An approved COPS grant to pay for a third deputy will now be refused by the county. The City will need to re-establish a municipal police department, equip and man it. It is yet unclear as to how dispatch services will be provided. The change will mean a loss of Potter County Deputy Rich Walk, who has been with us for about six months. It is hoped that the City will hire him as Police Chief. This will put the Sheriff's Department sworn personnel at two: the Sheriff himself, and one full time deputy.

Potter County Commissioners pass a resolution authorizing the Potter County Sheriff to keep one full time deputy.