The Warrants Division is located on the main floor of the Public Safety Building
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Address: 300 Kansas City Street
Rapid City, South Dakota 57701
Phone: (605)394-6117
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| The primary agencies that make up the Black Hills Fugitive Task force
are the United States Marshal Service and the Pennington County Sheriff's Office. The task force is assisted
by many local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. |
| Formed in
2005, the mission of the Black Hills Fugitive Task Force is to pursue and arrest, in a joint coordinated manner,
persons who have un-executed state and federal
warrants lodged against them. The intent of the joint effort is to remove from the streets, local, state and
federal fugitives, thereby improving public safety. The Black Hills Fugitive Task Force has been involved in
several large scale enforcement operations including Operation Wolfpack, Operation Falcon II, Domestic Violence
roundups as well as Pennington County roundups. The Black Hills Fugitive Task Force also assists several other
agencies around the United States in locating and apprehending fugitives who had fled their jurisdiction and
entered the State of South Dakota. |
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The shuttle began in Washington State in 1979 when a transport officer named Spike Miliman organized a
meeting between agencies on the east and west side of the state with the idea that through communication
and cooperation, each agency could save officer resources by coordinating trips to return fugitives from
justice. This original meeting grew to an organized event and the shuttle or "mini-chain" was off and
running. Oregon began a similar system of meeting between agencies and cooperative transport efforts in
1981. Before long, transport agents from Oregon and Washington applied the same "relay" principle to
fugitive returns, meeting together to decide upon what paperwork and property would be allowed and
required. The cooperation between Oregon and Washington then began to affect neighboring states like
Idaho, Montana and California. By 1985, the cooperative effort had become large enough that certain
agencies began to feel a strain on their own resources to support the effort. This initial over-expansion
and resource management challenge lead to a temporary crisis on the Oregon California border in 1985-1986.
Not long after, the state of Oregon, recognizing the potential for fugitive return, formally recognized
and supported the regional shuttle effort in Oregon. This support, along with lessons learned from the
early years and the development of the regional shuttle meeting in September of each year, allowed the
shuttle to grow into a multi-state system of cooperation-communication-consideration. By the late 90's,
the shuttle had grown to include all of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota
and parts of California, Arizona, Nebraska, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois, Utah and
has since expanded into parts of Texas. |
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The shuttle remains a 15 state system of in-state warrant and out-of-state fugitive return built
on a handshake and a phone call. There are no federal laws or state statutes that govern shuttle
business, only the goal of financially responsible fugitive return and the cooperative efforts and
communication of each agency each week and yearly at the regional conference. The conference is the
annual event where the guidelines can be discussed and amended as needed to conduct business in the
best way for all agencies involved. |
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The Northwest Shuttle co-op is a relay system between Sheriff's Offices and Police Departments
throughout participating states. It is designed to transport fugitives from one state to another via
the participating agency's normal transport schedules if possible. This relay system allows agencies
to extradite more fugitives, clear more warrants, save more budget dollars and man-power hours than by
using traditional extradition methods. |
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There is no formal participation agreement and no membership fee. It is a "gentlemen's agreement" between
agencies. The only requirement to belong to the "shuttle" is that your agency reciprocates by assisting
in transportation or housing when you are called upon. Agencies in states between the northwest coast and
the midwest will enjoy the benefits of the "shuttle" if each agency does their small part. |
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All local and state charges against the prisoner must be satisfied prior to placing him on the
"shuttle". Once the prisoner has waived extradition or has been served with a Governor's Warrant
and is ready for transport, there are a few guidelines that need to be followed in order to start
him on the "shuttle". |
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Always remember, this system is built on cooperation and communication. When your agency asks for
assistance from the "shuttle", be prepared to go out of your way to assist when it is your turn.
Hopefully, more agencies and more states will join in this network to bring more fugitives to justice
affordably. |
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If you are a law enforcement agency and are interested in being an active participant in the Northwest
Shuttle or have any questions, you can contact The South Dakota State Northwest Shuttle Coordinator.
The coordinator is an employee of the Pennington County Sheriff's Office and can be reached by
calling 605-394-6117 or by
e-mail. |
