RAPID CITY, S.D. (KBHB) — Mayor Steve Allender has appointed Don Hedrick as interim police chief of the Rapid City Police Department.

Assistant Chief Hedrick has been with the Rapid City Police Department since 2002, and has served in nearly every division in his years on the force. Police department spokesman Brendyn Medina says he’s a good choice.

Hedrick, a native of Lakefield, Minnesota, steps in as interim chief for Karl Jegeris, who announced his retirement last month as police chief and is effective today. Jegeris has served with the Rapid City Police Department since 1995.

Last month, Hedrick was accepted as a Bloomberg Fellow in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg

School of Public Health, a leadership development program. Prior to the selection, Hedrick had taken several Lakota history and language courses at Oglala Lakota College. He also serves on the boards of numerous community organizations.

Allender says the final selection of a new chief should be completed in August.