Tea Police Department

Last Monday, Officers Fenne and Miranda visited with kids at the Tea Parks and Rec camp, where kids had the opportunity to learn about police officer duties, see some of the equipment officers carry, and get an up-close look at our patrol vehicles.

Last Tuesday, officers also met with youth enrolled in the TASK program to discuss pedestrian, bike, and e-bike safety. Topics included safe riding practices, helmet use, hand signals, and more.

We appreciate the opportunity to promote safety through education and positive interactions. Thank you to Tea Parks and Rec and the TASK program for inviting us to speak!

Teapot Days 2026 was one for the books!

Thank you to everyone who came out and helped make this year's celebration a success. It was great to see our community enjoy the festivities and connect with one another during the different activities and events.

Throughout Teapot Days, our officers attended the CommuniTea Picnic, TeaFest Show and Shine Car Show, Teapot Day parade, and carnival. We enjoyed seeing a number of smiling faces throughout the weekend and are already looking forward to next year's Teapot Days!

Reminder for this morning!

Tomorrow, 6/20/26, is the Teapot Days Parade. If you live or park on any part of the parade route, please make sure that vehicles and trailers are removed by 9AM tomorrow morning!

Street parking in these areas can resume after the parade has completely ended.

Tomorrow, 6/20/26, is the Teapot Days Parade. If you live or park on any part of the parade route, please make sure that vehicles and trailers are removed by 9AM tomorrow morning!

Street parking in these areas can resume after the parade has completely ended.

🚲 Caught Riding Right Update! 🚲

Since launching the "Caught Riding Right" program, our officers have noticed more riders wearing helmets and practicing safe riding habits throughout the community. Keep up the good work!

We're excited to announce that Tea B&G Milkyway has joined the "Caught Riding Right" program! Officers will now be handing out Tea B&G Milkyway reward cards in addition to the cards sponsored by Pizza Ranch and Scooter's Coffee. Thank you to our local businesses for helping us encourage safe riding and reward kids for making responsible decisions.

To secure one of these reward cards, make sure you're following the rules of the road, wearing your helmet, and riding responsibly!

Earlier this month, our officers enjoyed spending time with community members at the Emily's Hope Fireworks & Family Fun Night at the Tea Athletic Complex.

Throughout the evening, families had the opportunity to see our patrol vehicles, meet K9 Suni, and visit with officers about a variety of summer safety topics. To wrap up the night, officers assisted with traffic control following the awesome fireworks display.

Safety Series Post: "Juvenile Safety" June

From online predators and cyberbullying to scams and oversharing personal information, the internet isn’t as safe we'd like to think it is. What juveniles post, share, or click can have lasting consequences on their safety, reputation, and future.

🔹 Talk openly with your youth about their online activity
🔹 Encourage privacy settings and strong passwords
🔹 Remind them never to share personal information or meet strangers from online platforms
🔹 Report suspicious or harmful behavior
🔹 Stay involved, ask questions, and keep the conversation going

Our Police Skills Camps for the summer have concluded!

This week, incoming 6-8 graders had the opportunity to step into the shoes of a police officer and learn firsthand about some of the responsibilities, skills, and tools used in law enforcement.

Some camp activities included:
🚁 Drone education and test flying
🆘 Basic first aid skills and tourniquet application
🔎 Shoe and fingerprint collection
📸 Crime scene photography
🤝 Teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this year's camp a success.

Over the last few weeks, a number of our officers have had the opportunity to speak with youth along side SD EMSC at 605 Learn to Drive and Tea Area High School. Topics included South Dakota driving laws and safety, the consequences of impaired driving, what to expect during traffic stops, and Stop the Bleed. Officer Van Lingen was one of the individuals who participated in this education.

Learning safe driving habits early helps create safer roads. We always appreciate the chance to connect with new drivers as they begin their driving journey.

Last week we had our first E-Bike Safety Pit Stop. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to learn more about safe riding. Community members had the opportunity to have their e-bikes checked and learn about e-bike/bike etiquette, laws and safety.

Thank you to the Tea Fire Department for joining us and helping educate riders about safety as well.