Degree Programs for Criminal Justice Jobs in South Dakota

The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation expects the number of police officer jobs in the state to grow by 6.4% between 2010 and 2020. High growth in the number of law enforcement jobs means local police departments, county sheriff’s offices, and state police bureaus are looking for the most qualified candidates.

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Law enforcement is not the only area within South Dakota’s criminal justice system that is expecting to expand in the coming years. The number of forensic science technician jobs is expected to grow 20% by the year 2020, according to the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, while the number of paralegal jobs in the state is expected to grow by 18.4%.

From law enforcement to legal support services, attaining a degree in a specialized field of criminal justice can be very beneficial for candidates looking to pursue employment opportunities within South Dakota’s criminal justice system.

Police Officers, State Troopers, and Criminal Investigators in South Dakota

Each year between now and 2020, the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation expects more than 100 new police officer jobs to open up. Along with that, the Department expects to need 6.4% more criminal investigators.

Police Officer Job Requirements in South Dakota

Police officers in South Dakota will serve to keep areas like Rapid City safe, which has 70,000 permanent residents and welcomes two million tourists each year. In this environment, officer qualifications are strict. Qualifications to become a police officer in Rapid City, South Dakota include the following:

  • Must have a high school diploma (or GED)
  • Must have an associate’s degree or at least 64 semester hours of college
  • Must hold a South Dakota driver’s license
  • Must be at least twenty-one years of age

Police officers in South Dakota are required to become certified within the first year of employment. They can do so by completing Law Enforcement Training’s Basic Certification Course offered by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation.

Local police stations that may be hiring police officers include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Rapid City Police Department
  • Mobridge Police Department
  • Winner Police Department
  • Mitchell Police Department

How to Become a South Dakota State Highway Patrol Officer

A state highway patrol worker with the South Dakota State Highway Patrol will perform law enforcement work, enforce traffic laws, and enforce compliance with criminal laws.

Qualifications to become a state highway patrol officer include the following:

  • Be at least twenty-one years old
  • Hold a South Dakota driver’s license
  • Have 20/20 vision with corrective lenses
  • Must be able to pass physical tests
  • May not have any showing tattoos or body piercings
  • Must hold a high school diploma (or GED)

Although obtaining a bachelor’s degree is not part of the minimum qualifications, preference will go to applicants with a four-year degree or military experience. State highway patrol officers are also required to achieve certification, which may also be achieved through completing Law Enforcement Training’s Basic Certification Course offered by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation.

Essential Training to Become a Detective in South Dakota

There were over 200 detectives employed in South Dakota as of 2013, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Detectives, or special agents, in South Dakota will work with local and state law enforcement agencies to gather all necessary evidence for criminal investigations.

The minimum qualifications for a detective in South Dakota include:

  • Must have no felony convictions
  • Being a U.S. citizen
  • Must be twenty-one years of age
  • Must have a valid South Dakota’s driver’s license

Applicants who are South Dakota Law Enforcement Certified, and who have at least two years of investigative experience will be able to apply for job title Special Agent II with the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigations.

At the federal level, a detective will be required to have a four-year bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, or a related field, as well as three years of general experience. Some federal, state, and local agencies that may be hiring detectives include, but are not limited to:

  • Federal Bureau of Investigations – Aberdeen, Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls
  • South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation – Pierre
  • South Dakota State Highway Patrol – Pierre
  • Rapid City Police Department: Investigations

Paralegals and Legal Support Professionals in South Dakota

The South Dakota Paralegal Association (SDPA) is a non-profit organization committed to professional advocacy for the paralegal profession in South Dakota. The association encourages paralegals to attain an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies. Located in South Dakota are at least three different programs for paralegal education.

These programs may be found in the following two South Dakota cities:

  • Rapid City
  • Sioux Falls

Even further, the association encourages paralegals to show their true excellence, knowledge, and credibility through attaining certification. Certification may open up new job opportunities and help a paralegal stand out from among the large applicant pool. The association recommends the following certification:

Job preference and higher-paying job opportunities will go to applicants who prove their skill by obtaining paralegal education and certification, and who have experience.

Law Firms that Hire Paralegals in South Dakota

Law firms that may be hiring paralegals, and the best law firms throughout South Dakota, according to U.S. News and World Report, include, but are not limited to:

  • Abourezk & Garcia – Rapid City
  • Austin, Hinderaker, Hopper, Strait & Benson LLP – Sioux Falls
  • Bangs McCullen Law Firm, LLP – Rapid City
  • Banks, Johnson, Kappelman & Becker PLLC – Rapid City
  • Barker Wilson Law Firm – Rapid City
  • Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun, P.C.
  • Gunderson, Palmer, Nelson & Ashmore LLP
  • Thompson Law P.C.

Forensic Scientists and Crime Scene Investigators in South Dakota

Both crime scene investigators and forensic scientists offer services to local and state police agencies. While crime scene investigators are responsible for collecting evidence, forensic scientists are responsible for examining and analyzing evidence in a lab.

How to Obtain a Job in Forensic Science in South Dakota

Forensic scientist jobs are incredibly selective and competitive. Because of this, forensic scientists must have obtained at least a bachelor’s degree in forensic science, chemistry, biology, or another hard science. Many of the best forensic examiners hold graduate degrees in a hard science.

Further, to obtain a position as a scientist, extensive experience working in laboratories is necessary. An aspiring forensic scientist may apply for internships with the South Dakota Division of Criminal investigation Forensic lab. To become an intern with the Division of Criminal Investigations lab, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

  • Must be a full-time student at a college or university
  • Must have a strong background in natural sciences
  • Must have practical experience in laboratories and law enforcement

Scientists may decide to become certified through national certification programs in order to stand out further as a qualified, skilled, and educated candidate:

Requirements for Crime Scene Investigation Jobs in South Dakota

A crime scene investigator (CSI) may go by many job titles, including evidence technician, crime scene technician, forensic investigator, crime scene analyst, or criminalistics officer. Often, local or state police stations will allow their officers to undergo training to become CSIs. Otherwise, if an applicant for a CSI job is a civilian, the applicant will need to have attained at least a bachelor’s degree in criminal investigations, crime scene investigations, or another related field.

In order to be distinguished among other CSI applicants, a candidate should consider becoming certified. Certification not only proves an applicant’s skill and expertise, but it may serve to open advancement opportunities once a job is obtained. The following certifications are open to crime scene investigators:

Employing Agencies for Forensic Scientists and Crime Scene Investigators in South Dakota

Federal, state, and local agencies that may be employing crime scene investigators and forensic scientist include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Federal Bureau of Investigations – Aberdeen, Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls
  • South Dakota State Forensic Laboratory – Pierre
  • South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation Forensic Lab – Pierre
  • South Dakota State Highway Patrol – Pierre
  • Rapid City Police Department Evidence Section

How to Qualify for Corrections Jobs in South Dakota

Correctional officer job opportunities in South Dakota are expected to grow at a steady rate of 1.9%, meaning that there will be over 20 correctional officer job openings in the state each year.

How to Attain a Job in the South Dakota Department of Corrections

New employees with the South Dakota Department of Corrections generally begin as correctional officers, who observe, supervise, and account for inmates. Correctional officers in South Dakota receive competitive pay, great benefits, on-the-job training, and incredible job stability. To be eligible, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

  • Must be eighteen years old
  • Must pass a background, physical, and drug test
  • Must hold a high school diploma

Because of the high-stress, fast-paced nature of this job, education or experience in law enforcement or criminal justice will be very beneficial to obtaining a correctional officer job. If accepted, an officer will undergo four weeks of pre-service training.

Aspiring correctional officers may look for job openings at the following local and state agencies:

  • South Dakota State Penitentiary – Sioux Falls
  • Mike Durfee State Prison – Springfield
  • South Dakota Women’s Prison – Pierre
  • Yankton Minimum Unit – Yankton
  • Rapid City Minimum Unit – Rapid City

How to Qualify for Jobs in the Federal Bureau of Prisons In South Dakota

Federal correctional officers may be hired at one of two different levels: GS-5 or GS-6. The minimum qualifications for a GS-5 applicant include being a U.S. citizen, being between twenty-one and thirty-six years old, having at least three years of general experience, and holding a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or a related field.

Obtaining a minimum of nine credits of graduate study in a criminal justice field, and obtaining at least one year of specialized experience law enforcement will allow an applicant to be hired on at the GS-6 level. South Dakota has one federal prison at which a correctional officer could apply for work:

  • Yankton FPC – Yankton

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