Gregory County finding success in war on drugs – Daily Republic

Judge Bobbi Rank has sat behind the bench in Gregory, Tripp, Todd and Bennett counties since her appointment in October. She joins the Sixth Judicial Circuit at an interesting time, as charges of possession and ingestion of Schedule I and II drugs, which include methamphetamine, plummet in one of her counties and skyrocket in another.

In Gregory County, 22 charges of possession or ingestion of Schedule I and II drugs were filed in 2015, according to the Unified Judicial System. The next year, only 20 charges were filed.

But so far this year, there have only been four charges filed, according to UJS.

At that rate, Gregory County would see an estimated 8.44 drug charges, a nearly 62 percent reduction in only two years.

"Anytime we've got less drug crimes, that's beneficial to society," Rank said.

Scott Anshutz, Mayor of Gregory, the largest town in Gregory County with about 1,300 people, credited the decline to county and city law enforcement, even though every officer in Gregory's three-person department was hired in 2016.

"The newer generation versus us older guys probably know what to look for," Anshutz said.

The three officers are 31 years old or younger, according to Gregory Chief of Police Travis DeBuhr, and two had no prior law enforcement experience. But DeBuhr said his officers have been quick to learn, and they know what to look for.

"I think just working with the other departments and putting the hard work into it is the only way you can really get it done, especially with the new guys, trying to get them caught up on it," DeBuhr said.

The reduction in drug crimes is even more impressive compared to the state average. In South Dakota, possession and ingestion charges rose more than 25 percent from 2015 to 2016, from 7,898 to 9,906. With 4,751 charges filed so far this year, the state is on pace to break 10,000 total charges.

But despite the reduction in one county, Rank said drug crimes still make up the bulk of her caseload. In Tripp County, Schedule I and II drug charges rose 178 percent in 2016, topping out at 64 charges. It's on pace to drop back down, but this year may still outpace the 2015 total.

The greatest rise in Rank's counties comes in Bennett. There were 12 charges filed in that county in 2015, but they more than doubled the next year and have continued to grow exponentially. So far in 2017, there have already been 34 charges filed, putting the county on pace to file more than 70 possession and ingestion charges, which would be a nearly 498 percent increase in two years.

Rank doesn't know why drug crime is increasing there, but she said judges across the state are staying busy with drug charges, and she was prepared to handle any situation after applying to take now-retired Judge Kathleen Trandahl's place.

"I think when you apply to be a judge, you just, you know as part of your application that you can take any sort of case," Rank said.

But even with drug crimes and a murder case in the area, Rank, who grew up near Winner, is happy to bring her family back to Tripp County.

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Gregory County finding success in war on drugs - Daily Republic