PIERRE — South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley congratulated the 12 students who graduated Friday from the state Basic Telecommunicator Certification Course.

“We can never appreciate enough what these telecommunicators do to help people in an emergency,” said Attorney General Jackley. “When someone calls 911, these are the first voices you hear and the people who can provide the information necessary for first responders.”

Among the graduates was Sheryl Kleinsasser, of the Huron Police Department.

Friday’s graduation completes the two-week course for the students who represent nine different law enforcement or communication centers statewide.

The two-week course includes training and hands-on exercises on issues such as public safety telecommunications, how to respond to questions from the caller, how to handle both emergency and non-emergency calls for service, and how to prioritize multiple incidents happening at one time.

Instructors are staff from the state Division of Criminal Investigation’s Office of Law Enforcement Training, which is part of the Attorney General’s Office; experienced 911 telecommunicators from across the state, and public safety stakeholders.