BROOKINGS — The two Republican candidates for Brookings County sheriff, Dave Biteler and Shawn Hostler, made their cases for why they should be the ones voters select to fill that important job.
The two will face off in the June 2 primary, with the winner of that race moving on to face Manny Langstraat, an independent candidate for the office, in the November election.
The May 18 forum was sponsored by Brookings Area Indivisible and was moderated by Lawrence Novotny.
In opening remarks, Biteler, who is the current assistant sheriff for Brookings County, said his experience in the military and his service in local law enforcement make him best qualified for the job.
The Brookings High School graduate said he went into the military and began his service for in the Brookings Police Department in 2002 after serving as a reserve officer.
He moved up through the ranks at the BPD to serve as a patrol officer and then patrol sergeant.
After a two-year break, he then accepted a job in the sheriff’s office as a court deputy and also worked in the Brookings County Detention Center and moved up to his current job as assistant sheriff about a year ago. Biteler cited as one of the valuable experiences with the department was his role in helping transition to the newly expanded detention center and helping to make that a facility that will serve the community for many years to come.
Hostler is a Blunt native and Sully Buttes High School graduate. His first law enforcement experience was with as a deputy sheriff with the Sully County Sheriff’s Office. In June 2000, he moved to Brookings to enroll at South Dakota State University. He continued at the Sully County Sheriff’s Office, driving back to serve on weekends and holidays. In April 2001 he was hired as a seasonal park ranger with South Dakota Game, ,Fish and Parks Department.
In August 2001, he accepted a job with the Brookings County Sheriff’s Office as a corrections officer. He also became a deputy on patrol, where he partnered with the drug dog. He also said that the experience he gained serving on the Brookings County Commission will serve him well as sheriff. He voluntarily left the department in 2015.
Major issues
The candidates addressed the major issues facing the sheriff’s department. Hostler pointed to drug- and alcohol-related crimes, mental health and addiction issues and repeat offender issues. He also said technology issues with cybercrime are becoming more prevalent.
Hostler would address that mix of issues by having officers become more pro-active, along with improving retention and giving officers the best training possible.
Biteler concurred that dealing with the drug and alcohol crimes is the most important. He said the number of drug distribution and felony DUIs have increased over the last few years and more resources need to be given to address addiction issues. He said that violent crimes have decreased over the last few years, but the sheriff’s office needs to remain vigilant in that area.
On the issue of cooperation with other law enforcement, Hostler said there is good communication with the officers who have boots on the ground, but there can be improvements made with leadership positions with law enforcement officials.
Biteler agreed that it is a top-down issue and there is always room for improvement in that area.
The candidates were asked how they would react to operations like ICE or Prairie Thunder.
Biteler said deputies deal with immigration issues, but would not be directly involved with ICE. “Brookings County does their job very well with everything as far is immigration. If somebody makes a traffic stop — if there’s something in the checks with the driver’s license and there’s an immigration hold or something on there —we have to take them in. We have to book them on local charges or on federal charges, and within 24 hours the federal government is here to pick them up. That’s all the involvement we have with them there.”
Hostler said the sheriff’s office should participate minimally. “If ICE were to come into the community, you know they would need to have their officers perform whatever they need to do. The sheriff’s office under my control — under my leadership — would not help participate in anything like that, unless it was to behind-the-scenes help, maybe transport or house individuals if they’ve been arrested or detained,” he said.
On dealing with marginalized portions of the community, Hostler said it’s a matter of building trust within the community. He said it’s important for officers to become involve in the community and build trust with everyone in the community.
Biteler said we need to get back to the policy of having liaisons with organizations to create better communication with the community and better address concerns.
On the issue of police in schools. Biteler said the current resource officers in schools are doing a good job. Still, more deputies in the school would help improve communications.
Hostler said he would like to increase the number of school resource officers. Rather than having one deputy bounce between Sioux Valley, Elkton and Deubrook, he would like to see one officer in Sioux Valley and another to handle the Elkton and school district duties. He said it’s important to have a healthy officer outreach presence in schools to build trust.
In their closing remarks, Hostler said his law enforcement experience, working to secure grants to bring in technology and his work with budgets in the department and then the Brookings County Commission, makes him best qualified. He said his experience as a small-business owner has also added to his knowledge and experience for the job.
Biteler pointed to the diversity of his experience in law enforcement. He believes his work at the police department, starting at the bottom and working his way up through the system, makes him best qualified.
He said he has gained valuable leadership experience in both the BPD and sheriff’s department.
— Contact Doug Kott at [email protected].
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