Pat West, a special assistant attorney general with
the SD Division of Criminal Investigation, speaking at South Dakota Mines
annual Constitution Day Talk on Sept. 17, 2021.
South Dakota Mines hosted speaker Pat West on Sept.
17, 2021, for the annual talk celebrating the U.S. Constitution. West served 25
years in law enforcement and retired in 2017 as a Supervisor Special Agent with
the SD Division of Criminal Investigation. Today, he continues his public
service as a special assistant attorney general, investigating drug diversion
in western South Dakota.
West spoke about how the Fourth and Fifth Amendments
to the U.S. Constitution impacted one of his most high-profile cases as an agent.
“We rely often the Fourth and Fifth Amendments in law enforcement. There are 27th
amendments in the U.S. Constitution, know them and know your rights,” West told
the group of students, staff and faculty gathered for the presentation at
Mines.
West grew up in Philip, SD, and holds a degree in business
administration from Black Hills State University. In 1992 he graduated from the
South Dakota Law Enforcement Academy and the FBI National Academy, Class 204. West
served with the 153rd Engineers in the South Dakota Army National Guard from
1986 to 1993. He also worked for the Deadwood Ambulance Service, Deadwood
Police Department and Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office.
Constitution Day commemorates the formation and
signing of the United States Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787, recognizing as
citizens all who are born in the U.S. or those made citizens by naturalization.