Public safety expenses swell Minnehaha County budget

New positions funded next year to deal with rising criminal caseloads

The Minnehaha County Commission Tuesday approved a $132.6 million budget for 2026, with more than half the county’s spending related to public safety and justice programs.

Public safety related expenses have gone up 50 percent in the county’s general fund since 2021, Finance & Budget Officer Susan Beaman told the commission. That includes the jail, state’s attorney, the public defender’s office, the sheriff’s office and juvenile detention.

It was a slight increase over the current $131 million budget, but down from the 2024 budget, which was $169 million. That difference was reflected in the commission’s decision to bond for a new juvenile detention center.