Highway Patrol Concludes Fourth Operation: Prairie Thunder Patrol in Sioux Falls, Cumulative Totals Released

Northeast Radio SD News – South Dakota - The South Dakota Highway Patrol, an agency of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, concluded its fourth set of saturation patrols in the Sioux Falls area on Friday, October 3, as part of the state's public safety initiative, Operation: Prairie Thunder. The patrols involved coordination with city, county, and federal law enforcement agencies.

The saturation patrols focus on targeting crime and unsafe activity on the roads, with any immigration-related encounters occurring as a byproduct of enforcing state traffic and criminal laws.

Operation Prairie Thunder, announced by Governor Larry Rhoden on July 28, 2025, has two main components: a targeted anti-crime initiative in the Sioux Falls metro area and a comprehensive effort to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The newly released statistics include the results from the three-day fourth operation (October 1–3, 2025) and cumulative totals for the operation since it began on August 27, 2025.

Operation Totals for October 1–3, 2025

During the recent three-day patrol, law enforcement reported the following key statistics:

·        Total Individuals in Custody: 53

·        Total Drug Charges: 126

o   Felony Drug Charges: 36

o   Misdemeanor Drug Charges: 90

·        Total Individuals in Custody with a Drug Charge: 33

·        Warrants Served: 32 (10 felony, 22 misdemeanor)

·        ICE Contacts: Seven individuals were contacted, resulting in four individuals taken into custody by ICE.

·        Cartel/Gang Activity: Two individuals were apprehended, and three were identified.

·        Traffic Enforcement:

o   All Citations: 283

o   All Warnings: 277

o   DUI Arrests: 4

o   Reckless Driving: 2

o   Revoked Licenses: 35

·        Other Criminal Apprehensions: Five pursuits occurred (one terminated), one parole absconder was apprehended, and one gun was seized, along with $3,643.00 in U.S. Currency. No human trafficking arrests or stolen vehicles were reported during this period.

Cumulative Totals (August 27–October 3, 2025)

The cumulative totals for all saturation patrols conducted since the operation's start in late August include:

·        Total Individuals in Custody: 240

·        Total Drug Charges: 632

o   Felony Drug Charges: 189

o   Misdemeanor Drug Charges: 443

·        Total Individuals in Custody with a Drug Charge: 164

·        Warrants Served: 170 (49 felony, 121 misdemeanor)

·        ICE Contacts: 37 individuals were contacted, with 21 taken into custody.

·        Cartel/Gang Activity: Eight individuals were apprehended, and nine were identified.

Traffic Enforcement:

o   All Citations: 1,300

o   All Warnings: 1,188

o   DUI Arrests: 20

o   Reckless Driving: 3

o   Revoked Licenses: 83

·        Other Criminal Apprehensions: The cumulative totals also report 10 pursuits (two terminated), one stolen vehicle recovery, 11 absconders (eight parole, three probation), and four total guns seized, with the cumulative US Currency seized totaling $3,643.00.