Codington County Commissioners Test Public Call-In Line After Watertown Resident Raises Concerns Over Law Enforcement Radio Encryption

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Public comment at Tuesday’s Codington County Board of Commissioners meeting featured local resident James Simmons raising questions regarding public phone access, proposed law enforcement radio encryption, and county legal reporting, prompting commissioners to test their call-in system live in commission chambers.

Call-In Line Tested Live

Simmons, who travels for work, informed the board that he attempted to call in during a meeting several weeks prior using the public telephone number listed on the official county agenda but received no answer.

“This was like 2 weeks ago or three weeks ago, and it just rang, and nobody answered,” Simmons told the board. “So I’m just wondering, like, does it work? Can we test it?”

In response, commissioners placed a call directly to the agenda line (605-882-6248) from the room. The line flashed incoming call alerts at the desk, confirming that the line was operational.

“If somebody can’t get through, then we don’t know that they’re trying to call, but we appreciate that,” Commission Chair Troy VanDusen said, thanking Simmons for bringing the issue forward.

Radio Encryption and Surveillance Concerns

Simmons also addressed recent discussions regarding upgraded radio systems for local law enforcement, specifically questioning proposals involving cellular backup systems and channel encryption. Drawing from his own professional background in industrial communications, Simmons cautioned against relying entirely on cellular-backed two-way radios without thorough trial runs.

“We’ve also tried using radios that have a cell backup, and we have not had very good luck with them,” Simmons warned. “They don’t work as well as advertised... So I would just advise, like before you sign a purchase agreement, maybe do a pilot to test and make sure that they actually work as advertised.”

Simmons further questioned the necessity of encrypting radio communications, asking whether Sheriff Powell and law enforcement officials could provide historical evidence justifying the change.

“Is there really like a historical trend of issues that we’re trying to address, or is this a solution seeking a problem?” Simmons asked. “I would argue that there’s probably not a real need to go to encrypted communication for officer safety or for public safety. I think it’s just a cool, shiny new thing.”

Simmons noted that while federal grant funds may cover initial costs, public transparency remains an issue. He pointed out a perceived contradiction between law enforcement adopting automated license plate readers (ALPR) while simultaneously moving to encrypt public radio channels, asking that the Sheriff’s Office present a formal justification to the community.

Requests for Habeas Corpus Reporting

Simmons also requested greater public reporting from State’s Attorney Alison Trauba regarding habeas corpus cases—legal proceedings brought by inmates challenging the lawfulness of their imprisonment.

Referencing previous comments regarding public defense and prosecution caseloads, Simmons urged the county to share periodic metrics on case volumes and outcomes.

“If we’re seeing so many of those that it’s causing a budget issue, that could be a concern,” Simmons stated. “I would ask the State’s Attorney to maybe provide a bit more detail to the community on those habeas cases... perhaps like a quarterly or an annual report.”

Coroner Line-Item Clarification

Following public comments, County Auditor Brenda Hanten provided a follow-up clarification requested during the earlier Coroner’s Office budget review.

Hanten clarified that professional services under line item 422 in Coroner Terry Sorensen’s budget primarily cover autopsy and pathology services performed by Sanford Health Pathology when bodies require detailed forensic examination.

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