KOTA
South Dakota Representative Kristi Noem brought chairman of the House Oversight Committee Trey Gowdy to Rapid City Monday, to get a look at how area law enforcement is dealing with drug crime.
"It's a challenge in South Carolina for us to recruit and retain folks at our detention facilities,” said Gowdy. “So everything from the way you triage juveniles, to the way you structure your pay scale are things I’ve noticed."
Violent crimes have doubled, rape has tripled and the drug epidemic is growing in South Dakota according to Noem.
Law enforcement gave them an update on mental health and behavioral health services at the Pennington County Jail and juvenile center.
Both Noem and Gowdy said the facilities are getting good results.
"That has been extremely encouraging for me and I'm looking at ways we can perpetuate that across the state,” said Noem. “How can we make sure this type of program is successful in a smaller town and how we can get them more connected?
Noem said that school and churches need to get involved with educating and building awareness.