South Dakota’s weak open records law gives police agencies full discretion on whether to release footage from body or dashboard cameras, and in most cases, the videos of officer conduct are never shown to the public.

South Dakota News Watch made formal public records requests to obtain video footage of use of deadly force incidents from eight separate law enforcement agencies in November, and all of the requests were quickly denied.

On a few occasions, South Dakota law enforcement agencies have released video footage of their own accord but not necessarily in cases where officer conduct is in question.

The Watertown Police Department released a video on Facebook in early November showing officers responding to a possible break-in with their guns drawn only to find a whitetail buck that had made it into a bedroom.

In 2016, the Rapid City Police Department posted a dash cam video to its public Facebook page showing the chief’s nephew proposing to his girlfriend in a mock traffic stop. “This one is too good not to share,” the Facebook post noted.

The Rapid City Police Department rejected News Watch’s request for videos of a May 30, 2023, incident in which an officer fatally shot 25-year-old Kyle Whiting, who brandished a fake gun during a foot chase. A bystander inside a nearby home was also shot in the abdomen by the officer and survived. The state ruled the

shooting was justified

.

Some police agencies will occasionally release still images from body or dashboard camera videos, typically when the screenshots show an officer facing a clear threat that appears to justify use of deadly force.

In August, the state released an image from video of a July 5, chase in which a Sioux Falls police officer shot and wounded 24-year-old Deondre Gene Black Hawk in the 100 block of Garfield Avenue.

One still image released to the public shows the gun Black Hawk fired at police. Another image shows Black Hawk pointing the gun toward a pursuing officer prior to the shooting, which

was ruled justified

by state investigators.

In a move that appeared to have political overtones, videos were released in 2021 showing former South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg being pulled over by officers for suspected traffic violations. The videos and audio showed Ravnsborg informing officers of his status as attorney general during the traffic stops, some of which did not result in tickets.

The videos were released during a period when Ravnsborg was facing possible removal from office for striking and killing a pedestrian in September 2020.

Ravnsborg was eventually impeached, an action supported by then-Gov. Kristi Noem, whose office also made the unprecedented move of releasing videos of Ravnsborg being interviewed by detectives during the investigation into the 2020 fatal accident.

(Screenshot of 2021 state video)

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Video of a June 2023 police-involved shooting in South Dakota was released by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. In that incident, 39-year-old James Schneider of Watauga fired a weapon and then led authorities on a vehicle chase that ended at the Bullhead Community Center parking lot.

According to the dashboard video, Schneider was waving his arms and holding a handgun in an area where people were present. After he turned to flee into a residential neighborhood, he was shot in the back by an officer. Schneider was found guilty in August of assault and weapons charges after a jury trial and is awaiting sentencing.

In releasing

the video

, the BIA said it was doing so to be transparent in its operations. To protect the privacy of all involved, faces were blurred in the video.

McPherson County Sheriff David Ackerman, president of the South Dakota Sheriff’s Association, said body and dash cameras are important tools for police agencies in both urban and rural areas, even though his camera program costs about $60,000 a year, roughly 10% of the overall departmental budget.

“These are very valuable tools, and it’s something that in this day and age, every office and agency needs to have,” Ackerman said. “I’m glad where we are today because they’re for the protection of the public as well as the officers.”

Monty Rothenberger, assistant police chief in Yankton, said he supports the use of dash and body cameras as a way to increase accountability for officers and to aid in resolving public complaints.

“I wouldn’t do this job without a body camera, and I enjoy wearing it,” Rothenberger said. “I don’t have anything to hide. And because everything is on video, I feel like Big Brother is watching and I support that.”

— This story was originally published on southdakotanewswatch.org.

The Division III Championship Semifinals feature the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (12-1) facing off with the Wisconsin-River Falls Falcons (12-1) as they look for a chance to play for a title. Kickoff takes place on Saturday, December 20, at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET (11 a.m. MST) with a live TV broadcast only with ESPN Plus.

• You can watch Johns Hopkins vs. Wisconsin-River Falls football streaming live on ESPN+ (now called ESPN Select) today.

Is Johns Hopkins vs. Wisconsin-River Falls on TV today, or streaming only?

When: Saturday, December 20, at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET (11 a.m. MST).

Where: David Smith Stadium at Ramer Field | River Falls, WI

TV channel: This game is not available on traditional broadcast TV, and is only streaming on ESPN’s live sports streaming platforms available on the ESPN App with one of the “ESPN Select” or “ESPN Unlimited” subscription plans. (This is the streaming service formerly known as ESPN Plus. Here’s a look at the breakdown of ESPN streaming plans, what they cost and include.)

Where to watch streaming live on TV, or online: You can watch a live stream of this game for less than $12 on ESPN Select (It’s just $11.99/month or $119.99/full year subscription, and you can cancel anytime. Just choose the “ESPN Select” plan in the drop down to sign up for the cheapest version of the service.).

• The best deal: If you sign up for ESPN Unlimited ($29.99/month), you will get all of the ESPN networks and services, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN+, ESPN on ABC, SEC Network+, ACC Network Now and ESPN3.
• Get promo codes, signup deals, and free bets from our Oregon Betting News home page.

A student at a small private college in St. Paul, Minnesota, was caught on video by Turning Point USA members defending conservative titan Charlie Kirk’s assassination, and at times celebrating it.

The student approached the Turning Point members on the campus of Hamline University while they were hosting a tabling event, according to Frontlines TPUSA.

“Why shouldn’t I be glad that [Charlie Kirk] got shot? Like honestly?” the unnamed student asked the Turning Point members.

After a back-and-forth about gun control, the agitator doubled down.

TEACHERS UNION CHIEF RANDI WEINGARTEN PROMOTES BOOK ON ‘FASCIST REGIMES’ DAYS AFTER KIRK’S ASSASSINATION

“I wanna — I’m for the Second Amendment — I’m just glad Charlie Kirk got shot because he said some really stupid s—,” he said.

The student was asked whether he had ever said “stupid s—.”

“Well yeah, but —” he said, before being cut off by a Turning Point member, who asked if he should be shot for stupid things he has said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE CAMPUS RADICALS COAST TO COAST

“No, well, because I didn’t call for — I didn’t say that gun violence is necessary,” the student replied.

During his career as a conservative commentator, Kirk argued that, while tragic, school shootings don’t justify infringing on the Second Amendment, and in any case, criminals would still have access to guns.

“I’m just saying, I think it’s good Charlie Kirk got shot because he got what he preached. He said that violence is necessary. He said that empathy is a weakness. Why should I be empathetic to that?” the student argued.

Kirk never said empathy is a “weakness,” but did say on a 2022 episode of his podcast that he disliked the term.

“He got shot because he called for it,” the provocateur continued. “He said bring it on. I watched the video of him getting shot in the neck and I clapped.“

“That’s so sad,” a Turning Point student replied.

YEARS OF CAMPUS ATTACKS ON CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS RESURFACE AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER

“I don’t think it is yet. I think bad people deserve to die,” the Kirk opponent said.

The students then launched into a brief debate about fascism, with the agitator claiming that President Donald Trump is a fascist.

Nationwide, there have been several instances of people publicly celebrating or mocking Charlie Kirk’s shocking assassination.

Less than a week after Kirk’s Sept. 10 killing in broad daylight while holding an event on the Utah Valley University campus, a student on the Clemson University campus was caught on video mocking the commentator, who left behind a wife and two young children.

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Around the same time, a Texas Tech University student disrupted a Kirk vigil on campus, yelling, “”F— y’all homie dead, he got shot in the head.” That student was expelled.

A Chicago public school teacher was also accused of making light of Kirk’s death during a “No Kings” protest in October. She was caught on video making a gun symbol with her fingers, putting it to her neck, and pulling the imaginary trigger.

“Hamline University does not condone violence in any form,” the school said in a brief statement.