Codington County Case Filings Exceed 1,400 for 2025

Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - Codington County saw a rise in criminal activity in 2025, outpacing neighboring Brookings and Brown counties in total case filings.

During a report to the Codington County Commissioners on Tuesday, State’s Attorney Alison Bakken revealed that the county recorded 1,467 CRI filings (Class 1 misdemeanors and higher) for the year. This figure stands in sharp contrast to the 972 filings in Brookings County and 1,312 in Brown County.

“When you think about that, that's 150 more DUIs, that's 150 more simple assaults,” Bakken told the board. “All of those cases are very time intensive.”

Caseload Comparison: 2025 Filings

County	Total CRI Filings (Class 1 Misdemeanor+)
Codington	1,467
Brown	1,312
Brookings	972

Departmental Operations

The State’s Attorney’s office has remained consistently active, managing both local prosecutions and complex inter-jurisdictional matters. Bakken noted that a major focus over the last six weeks was the legal process required to bring a federal inmate back into county custody. A writ of habeas corpus was successfully granted, and sentencing for that individual was scheduled for last Thursday. (Reference: Ted Hurkes Sentencing)

Despite the heavy caseload, Bakken emphasized her continued availability to law enforcement and department heads. “I'm working frankly around the clock,” she said. “Sometimes you might not find me in my office because I have other obligations, but I'm always available by phone and email.”

Special Deputy Appointment

In a move to ensure coverage during her upcoming absence from Feb. 13–19, the commission approved the appointment of Kirchmeier, the Roberts County State’s Attorney, as a Special Deputy.

Bakken explained that while she normally relies on her deputy state's attorneys, she felt it was necessary to have an experienced outside attorney on call for emergencies while she is out of the country.

“My good friend, the Roberts County State’s Attorney, has graciously agreed to be appointed for any emergency things that come up,” Bakken said. She noted that the arrangement is a professional courtesy, with Kirchmeier serving without compensation and Bakken intending to return the favor in the future.

The commissioners unanimously approved the request and expressed their appreciation for the proactive planning.