Looking Ahead: Don Hedrick

Don Hedrick

Chief of Police, Rapid City

What was your first job?

Growing up in a farming community, many kids learn the value of hard work at an early age. I can remember many hours of bailing hay and picking rocks in the scorching summer heat, leaving an appreciation for rolling up your sleeves and getting to work, despite the task being challenging or uncomfortable. There was no room for complaining or for being too tired; the work needed to get done and through this lifestyle, you learned to appreciate a job well done. Honest, hardworking people can teach you a lot about life and how you control your attitude; values and experiences like these always stick with you.

Tell us about your current job?

Police work is a unique profession and law enforcement is facing challenges on many levels today. I appreciate working with a pretty amazing team here at the RCPD, serving our community and striving for positive change. As for me, I enjoy working on the challenges we are currently facing and doing what I can to make life better for the City of Rapid City as well as our hard working, dedicated police officers. Ultimately, I want a brighter future for all of our families and I am excited to have a role in such an amazing City.

How has 2020 changed you?

COVID-19 has challenged all of us in major ways and it threw a curve ball at the law enforcement profession. It has caused us to re-evaluate nearly every aspect of our responses to ensure we are doing what we can to keep the community we serve healthy, as well as ensuring we are keeping ourselves healthy. Additionally, this year the RCPD has witnessed localized civil unrest, conversations on police defunding, a spike in violence over the summer, contention regarding national politics, and the continual changes we have implemented while continuing to work through a pandemic. For the most part, police work remains an occupation that did not halt despite these challenges as calls for service continue to come in. Our Department has to be adaptable and therefore, I believe it has made us more resilient and able to adjust to change. It is important for us all to acknowledge the difficulty of the moment we are in, cut each other some slack, and practice compassion; these are strong traits and they will help pull us through this moment in time.

Why are you excited for 2021?

I believe we should all make a New Year’s resolution to be kind to one another moving forward! We are all in this together, and I look forward to healthier days, as I believe they are coming for our community soon.

Why do you live in Rapid City?

Like any city, Rapid City has its own unique challenges. Despite this, I think we have some pretty amazing accomplishments to be proud of. Rapid City continues to grow and strive and there are some pretty exciting projects being implemented and on the horizon. Personally, from the perspective of Police Chief, I have appreciated the strong community support we have witnessed throughout this year and recognize how many police departments do not enjoy this luxury. With this in mind, and through recognition that trust is fragile, we will continue to be transparent and do the right things for the right reasons, one interaction at a time.