Chief's Message

Message from Chief of Police Michael Drake

It is a great honor to have been selected to be the Chief of Police for the City of Brookings. I am humbled to work alongside our dedicated Police Department staff, the citizens and business owners of Brookings, and the South Dakota State University community.

I am continually inspired by the strong relationship that exists between the community members and the Brookings Police Department. Our rise in professional public service rankings is a testament to the department’s commitment to be guardians of the city. Our department serves as a model for community policing efforts, and we will continue to build on our strengths to ensure a safe future. Authentic collaboration between the community and the department has produced among the best that South Dakota has to offer when it comes to public safety.

The department is working hard to fulfill and expand our community service mission by committing our resources to positive non-enforcement interactions.  Through programs fully supported by the Brookings community - such as the Citizens First Academy, Safety Town, National Night Out, Coffee with a Cop, Breakfast with Badges, and myriad other community investments - the Police Department is dedicated to fulfilling its pledge to the city. 

Together the citizens and Police Department have the opportunity to build momentum toward a bright future for all of Brookings. We have been strengthening our leadership team within the department and are working on new and exciting recruitment and retention ideas to inculcate professionalism in our police officers. The department is working on restructuring the organizational dynamic to promote transparency and focus more on customer service through procedural justice and 21^st century policing initiatives.

Looking ahead, I pledge to continue to work together with the citizens of Brookings to prepare the Police Department to better serve the community.

With gratitude,

Michael J. Drake
Chief of Police
City of Brookings