The Clay County Reserve Deputies are dedicated local citizens working various full time occupations while serving Clay County in their spare time. They receive training in topics such as firearms, domestic violence, traffic stops, patrol procedures, and prisoner transport procedures. Reserve Deputies are sworn deputies with the authority to make arrests but their primary purpose is to provide back-up to the sworn deputies and assist the Sheriff with other duties as necessary.
Reserve Deputy David Thiesse started his career working at the South Dakota State Penitentiary for 2 years and then spent two years with the University of South Dakota Police before beginning work as a Vermillion Police Officer in 1991. In 2003, Thiesse resigned his position as a Vermillion Police Sergeant to accept the Chief Deputy position at the Clay County Sheriff's Office. In 2005, Deputy Thiesse resigned to become the Executive Director of the Vermillion Housing Authority but remains active as a Reserve Deputy. Deputy Thiesse maintains instructor certifications in Radar, Field Training, Chemical Munitions, OC spray and Less Lethal Firearms. He is also a national certified safety seat technician and hostage negotiator. In 2002, Deputy Thiesse was fortunate to be chosen to work as a Law Enforcement Officer at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Off duty, Deputy Thiesse enjoys spending time boating with his family and remodeling older homes.
Reserve Deputy Matt Olson is a life long resident of Clay County and graduated from Vermillion High School in 1989. He attended Southeast Vo-Tech in Sioux Falls, SD in the heating and cooling field. He has worked for a local heating and cooling business since 1991. He began work at the Clay County Sheriff's Office in 1997 as a Reserve Deputy. In his time away from work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and four children doing many outdoor activities including camping, hunting, boating, and snowmobiling.
Reserve Deputy
Brad Waage is a 1981 graduate of
Vermillion High School and in 1984, he graduated from USD-Springfield. His
full time occupation is in construction and he is the co-owner of Ty's Building
Service in Vermillion, SD. Deputy Waage has been a Sheriff's Reserve
Deputy since 2002 and also volunteers as a member of Vermillion Fire and Rescue
as well as the Coyote Country Rodeo Club.