Post-secondary school students may apply for an internship with the Rapid City Police Department. Internships are unpaid and the student must be eligible to receive college credit for completing the internship.
Student interns are required to submit an application, sign a ride-along waiver, pass a criminal history background check, and comply with the Department dress code. The student intern, University Internship Coordinator and Police Department will work together to determine goals and expectations, and interns will be required to complete a project, as assigned by their Field Supervisor.
Due to the great number of resources needed to accommodate an internship, priority must be given to students actively pursuing a career in law enforcement/police-work.
PLEASE NOTE: For students interested in an intership within the RCPD's Evidence Section/Forensic Labs, please contact Evidence Section Director Lt. Brian Pitts at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Process for Internship Application:
- Potential interns should read the deparmtent pdf guidelines and expections for interns (29 KB) as outlined in our Rules & Procedures.
- The RCPD requires that interns submit an pdf internship application (423 KB) . Please print the application, fill out all fields, sign it, and scan it.
- Along with the application, we require that an intern submit a cover letter. That cover letter should express why you are seeking an internship with the Rapid City Police Department. Please also include what aspects of law enforcement interest you most, and your projected career path. This will help us design an internship schedule to meet your needs as a student.
- Please submit your completed/signed application and cover letter to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
- Once we recieve your application and cover letter, we will reach out to your faculty advisor to ensure we meet your instituion's internship specifications.
Once approved, we will contact you directly to establish a start date, and work to design a schedule that will help you get the most out of your time with out agency.