Special Response Team

The Plymouth-Sioux-Le Mars Special Response Team (SRT), was a tactical team consisting of officers from the Le Mars Police Department, deputies from the Plymouth County Sheriff's Office and the Sioux County Sheriff's Office. The Plymouth-Sioux-Le Mars SRT was formed under the direction of Plymouth County Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo, Le Mars Police Chief Stuart Dekkenga and Sioux County Sheriff Dan Altena in 2011 to provide for the coordination and effective use of departmental resources from all agencies. In 2017 the Cherokee Police Department (Police Chief Nate James) and Cherokee County Sheriff's Office (Sheriff Jarod Clyde) joined the team.

The mission of CERT is to save lives and provide public safety. This has been accomplished through the development of a team that is self-disciplined, experienced and well trained. Officers assigned to CERT attend monthly in-house training, covering basic and advanced firearms, high risk search and arrest warrant execution, vehicle take downs and barricaded subject calls. In addition, officers also receive training throughout the state of Iowa in advanced firearms, active shooter response and clandestine lab response. Since its inception, CERT has not had a serious injury or loss of life to any suspects, victims or team members.

Sheriff Altena believes this partnership has been extremely beneficial, ultimately increasing public safety for Sioux County.