Thomas Dravland was appointed Secretary of the Department of Public Safety in April of 2003. Prior to this, Dravland worked for the South Dakota Highway Patrol for over 27 years.  He served in various positions during this time: Field Trooper, Investigator for the Vehicle Theft Unit, Staff Sergeant/Lieutenant, Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent. From 1986 to 1994, Dravland served as a Class B Trustee for the South Dakota Retirement System and is a current member of the Law Enforcement Standards and Training Commission.

He received a Bachelors degree in Sociology from the University of South Dakota, and he and his wife, Becky, have two sons, Jon and Joe. 

Dravland enjoys reading and generally spends his free time with his family, golfing, fishing or working around the yard and house. 

Visit http://www.state.sd.us/dps/ for more information about the Department of Public Safety