Major Bridget Flannery with the South Dakota National Guard and local VFW Post offered a token of appreciation this past week from the local post to officers with the Moody County Sheriff’s Office and Flandreau City Police Department this past Wednesday in honor of Peace Officers Memorial Day.
Flannery presented Flandreau City Police Chief and Moody County Sheriff Troy Wellman with gift certificates to the Flandreau Bakery. Included was the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribal Police Department, Chief Brian Arnold was unable to be present at the time of the gathering.
Flannery said she and her colleagues want to recognize local law enforcement for the job they do, the risks they often have to take to protect others, as well as the unfortunate sacrifices at times that are made.

Poignant this year with the recognition, is the significant loss of Moody County Chief Deputy Ken Prorok, who was killed earlier this year as he worked to help apprehend a suspect in a high speed chase out of Madison.
Flannery offered an additional gesture of appreciation from the VFW with a donation to go specifically to the Prorok family.
“Living where we do, working where we do, we get told we are appreciated way more than officers do in other areas of the country,” said Sheriff Troy Wellman.
“But on a day like today, with the circumstances we have, on Law Enforcement Memorial Day, it means a great deal to be recognized for what we do and the sacrifices often made.”