About the South Dakota Department of Public Safety
The South Dakota Department of Public Safety includes 14 agencies with the mission to keep South Dakota a safe place in which to live, work, visit and raise a family.
Our agencies work to protect and serve South Dakota by:
- Coordinating with state, local and tribal governments to prevent acts of terrorism.
- Communicating homeland security terrorism preventive and response measures to private and public entities.
- Providing highway patrol services that protect our citizens and visitors by promoting public safety through education, enforcement and example. Commercial vehicle regulation is also part of the Highway Patrol.
- Providing highway safety grants and information.
- Compiling and analyzing accident records and motor vehicle crash data.
- Developing and integrating all hazard emergency plans for disasters.
- Assisting state, local, and tribal governments with emergency management efforts to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate natural and man-made disasters before they occur.
- Providing fire prevention services including fire reporting, training, investigation, public education, fire prevention, code enforcement, and other state fire marshal services.
- Coordinating a statewide 9-1-1 system by providing local governments in South Dakota with technical assistance, funding oversight, and monitoring administrative rule compliance.
- Issuing identification, testing, licensing and regulating commercial and non-commercial drivers.
- Providing state inspections and weights and measures services for businesses and consumers.
- Providing funding to programs that offer shelter, advocacy, crisis counseling and other victims' services to sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and other violent crimes through our Victims' Services Program.
- Providing monetary assistance to victims of violent crimes.
- Providing protection for resources and the public that we serve from SD Wildland Fire
