Hand County Jail & Sheriff

The Sheriff in Hand County is located at 415 West 1st Avenue, Suite 102, and they are open during the regular business hours of 8am to 5pm. They can be contacted for gun licensing, fingerprinting, community outreach and education, law enforcement, and other community needs during these hours at the regular number, but they also respond to all 911 calls outside of office hours and are available at those hours around the clock. The building also contains the holding facility that allows for those who are arrested within the area or who are serving shorter sentences will serve their sentence in this facility. While incarcerated at this location all food and clothing will be provided, as well as medical care as needed, and the inmates are permitted to have contact with some friends and family who are on the approved visitors list. Under the unified department of corrections, many of the main jails and facilities are run by the Department of Corrections with only small holding areas within the small towns and counties. As a temporary housing facility, the Hand County Jail operates by accepting both male and female inmates who are being detained in the area who are either awaiting bail or court hearings, who are waiting to be transferred, and who have been arrested locally by other law enforcement agencies. Inmates will have access to phones to remain in contact with friends and family, but they will only be permitted outgoing phone calls with no incoming calls being accepted. Visits are permitted by video and each inmate may have 2 visits of 45 minutes each week, scheduled in advance. Visits may not be before 8am or extend past 4pm.

How do I find out if someone has been arrested and booked into the Hand County Jail & Sheriff?

To find out if someone you know has been recently arrested and booked into the Hand County Jail & Sheriff, call the jail’s booking line at .

There may be an automated method of looking them up by their name over the phone, or you may be directed to speak to someone at the jail. Sometimes the jail staff may ask you the offender’s date of birth to ensure privacy of the offender’s status.

Keep in mind that after an arrest, the information on an offender may not be publicly available for several hours.

If you don’t want to check up on an offender by calling the jail, you can also try looking up people recently booked online.

Hand County Jail & Sheriff Booking Roster

What happens during booking in Hand County?

After being arrested and taken into custody, and after being read their Miranda Rights, an offender will next be transported to the local police or department or the Sheriff’s Department in Hand County for booking.

Booking is very involved and requires multiple steps in the process, however, keep in mind that most attorneys will advise that an offender remain silent and not offer any additional information about the crime they have been arrested for because anything they do say may be recorded and may very well be used against them in court.

What is the booking process like at the Hand County Jail & Sheriff?

Booking includes having their photo (mugshot) and fingerprints taken, as well as being asked a lot of questions about their personal history and state of mind. If it’s a serious felony, their DNA may also be taken. They will also be checked for warrants in Hand County and other South Dakota and USA jurisdictions.

If the offender was arrested for a DUI offense, and has refused a breathalyzer test, they may also be forced to have blood drawn by a doctor or nurse.

It is also very likely that the offender will undergo a humiliating full body search while in the nude. This includes bending over, spreading their cheeks in the direction of an officer, and coughing. They will also be walked through a metal detector or x-ray machine, like those used at an airport.

What kind of questions are asked during booking?

The arresting jurisdiction will ask about gang affiliations, tattoos, medical conditions, prescribed medication they are taking, recreational drugs they are on or addicted to, allergies, if they are suicidal, and other relevant information that will help with determining their cell assignment and special needs.

What happens to an offender’s personal property during booking?

During the arrest and booking process an offender will also have all their personal property confiscated and held for either their release from jail, or with the offender’s approval, released to a friend or family member.

Personal property includes the clothing they are wearing, money, wallets, purses, cell phones, jewelry, body rings, earrings, watches, and even glasses if they are deemed a security risk. If they are allowed to keep their shoes or sneakers, the laces are removed.

What happens after booking?

At this point the offender will be allowed to make a free phone call to a person of their choice to notify them of their arrest, and/or arrange a bond or bail for their release.

If the offender is being detained and housed while awaiting arraignment, the Hand County Jail & Sheriff will provide a jail garment and slip-on shoes, a blanket, sheets, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and a towel.

Often, before they are dressed in the jail outfit and brought to their housing location, they will be forced to take a shower and undergo a disinfectant treatment for body and hair lice, scabies or other pests that may be residing on their person.

How long does the Hand County Jail & Sheriff Booking process take?

Booking can take anywhere from an hour to 24 hours or more. It all depends on the number of people that are awaiting processing, the number of staff on duty at the time, and the behavior of the offender.

If the offender is heavily intoxicated and/or violent, the Booking Officer may decide to stick the offender in a holding cell for several hours until they become more manageable.