Groton Police Department SD

07/08/2026

ABERDEEN AREA JULY HUNT SAFE CLASS
*LAST CLASS OF 2026 IN BROWN COUNTY*

The July 2026 Hunt SAFE class sponsored by the Sportsman’s Club of Brown County is coming soon. The classes are conducted at the Terry O’Keefe Hunter Education Center at the Arnie Goldade Shooting Range on Highway 281, 5 ½
miles south of the Circle K convenience store.

This will be the last area class that will be offered in 2026.July 15, 22, 29: 6:00pm – 9:30pm each day

*Students must be present for each class
The HuntSafe course is for anyone who wants to learn more about conservation, hunting ethics, and the safe handling of guns. The course is requiredfor youth 12 years of age and older, and 11-year-olds who will turn 12 before January 1, 2027, who want to hunt this Fall. Pre-registration is required.

1. Go to the website, www.gfp.sd.gov
2. Click on the “Education” tab in the upper right side of the screen; then
3. Click on “Education Programs” on the upper left side of the screen; then
4. Click on “Hunter Education” on the left side; then
5. Click on “HuntSafe Class Schedule” in the middle of the screen. Then click on “classroom course schedule”.
6. Search Brown County for full listings of Aberdeen area classes. Click on desired class for the link to register.

NOTE: It is important to create a GFP Go Outdoors account for the student, if your student doesn’t already have one. Make sure the account used to register matches the student who will be attending classes. The student must be registered using their own account.

Call Game Fish & Parks at 605-626-2391 for assistance.

Hunting, Fishing or Camping in South Dakota? The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks' website has the outdoor related information you need. Buy your license, apply for a big game tag and reserve your campsite on-line.

07/04/2026

Plan for a Sober Ride this Fourth of July

As the nation celebrates Independence Day, the Groton Police Department, the Department of Public Safety-Office of Highway Safety, and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reminding drivers that drinking and driving is deadly and never an option. Please join us in sharing this message for a safe celebration of Independence Day: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

Every year, the days around and including the Fourth of July holiday rank as one of the deadliest periods on the nation’s roads. In 2024, there were 579 people killed in traffic crashes during the holiday period. From 2020 to 2024, there were 1,724 driver fatalities of the 2,719 total traffic fatalities. Thirty-eight percent of those drivers were drunk drivers.

Impaired driving is never acceptable. For some people, even one drink is too many to drive safely. While everyone is making plans with friends and family for Fourth of July festivities, it is crucial to also make plans for a sober ride home and completely rule out drinking and driving. We’re partnering with the Department of Public Safety-Office of Highway Safety, and NHTSA to remind drivers that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. Celebrating our nation's independence safely is our biggest responsibility.

If a driver intends to drink during an Independence Day festivity, he or she should plan ahead for a safe ride home by securing a designated driver or calling a taxi or rideshare. They shouldn’t wait until after drinking to plan how to get somewhere. Impairment clouds a person’s judgment and endangers others on the road.

If a driver finds they are unable to drive, they should give their keys to a sober driver so that person can get them home safely. When a friend has been drinking and is considering driving, friends should be proactive — take away the keys and help them get a sober ride home. If anyone spots a drunk driver, contact local law enforcement.

Drive 100% sober, because Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. For more information on impaired driving, visit NHTSA.gov/ImpairedDriving, https://drivesafesd.com/impaired-driving/.

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07/02/2026

REMINDER: Ordinance 6-4-2 Fireworks. No person shall discharge or shoot any fireworks or firecrackers of any kind, within the City of Groton.

06/16/2026

As warmer weather brings more golf carts onto our streets, residents are encouraged to review South Dakota's golf cart laws. Golf carts operated on public roads must be driven by a licensed driver and are subject to all traffic laws. The City of Groton encourages golf cart operators to use the shortest practical route to and from Olive Grove Golf Course. Please operate golf carts safely and responsibly to help keep our Groton SD Community safe.

04/28/2026

A ticket is inconvenient. A crash is life changing. Buckle your seat belt every time. Click It or Ticket.

03/16/2026

Join our team to help keep the citizens and visitors of Brown County Safe.

Brown County Communications is now accepting applications for 911 Communications Dispatchers. Starting wage is $23.73/Hour

For a full job description please go to www.brown.sd.us for more information If you are interested, the General County Application is available at the same location at the bottom of the list of Current Opportunities.

Brown County is an EOE.

03/15/2026

Make a Plan for a Sober Ride Before St. Patrick’s Day Festivities Begin


St. Patrick’s Day 2026 celebrations will take place across the country on and around Tuesday, March 17. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the South Dakota Department of Public Safety-Office of Highway Safety urges drivers to remember that drinking and driving is deadly and never an option. Join NHTSA, the South Dakota Office of Highway Safety, and the Groton Police Department. in sharing this message: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

Every year, dozens of people are killed when they choose to drive drunk during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. According to NHTSA, 38% (284) of the traffic fatalities that occurred during the St. Patrick’s Day holidays between 2019-2023 involved drunk drivers. In 2023 alone, there were 63 fatalities in drunk-driving crashes during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday, of which 44 involved drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of .15 or higher.

Embracing St. Patrick’s Day and its traditions is one thing; engaging in the deadly behavior that is drinking and driving is another. Feeling buzzed and getting behind the wheel puts lives at risk. Communities have seen firsthand the devastation and loss caused by alcohol-impaired driving, along with the lasting pain it inflicts on families, friends, and entire communities. We’re partnering with NHTSA, and the South Dakota Office of Highway Safety to share the reminder that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. Drinking and driving is not an option, but making sure someone sober will be behind the wheel is.

Local authorities are urging everyone to celebrate the holiday safely by making a plan before the festivities begin. The most important step is arranging for a sober ride in advance — whether that means designating a sober driver, using a taxi service, or booking a rideshare. Because alcohol clouds a person’s judgement, designated drivers should be prepared to help others who failed to plan ahead find a safe and sober way home. Community members are also encouraged to report suspected impaired drivers to local law enforcement.

For more information on impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving or https://drivesafesd.com/impaired-driving/.

The Groton Police Department.

Every day, about 34 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that's one person every 42 minutes. In 2023, 12,429 people died in

11/30/2025

The holidays are full of surprises, but getting a DUI shouldn’t be one of them. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving