MINOT, ND (KXNET) — Giving support when it's needed. That's what the Minot Police Department has continued to do as the department's wellness program, which has been in effect since last December, supports both police officers and department staff in mental health crises. The department has a partnership with Shatterproof, a program through FHE Health, that provides first responders with addiction treatment and mental health services in out-of-state facilities. Community Outreach and Training Sergeant Caisee Sandusky says that there was a clear need identified by the department to help their officers. "Our agency as a whole can do better by providing resources, training pure support members to recognize when officers need help or also the officer might recognize they themselves need help," said Sgt. Sandusky. Sandusky says that part of the department's wellness program is check-ins after an officer has been involved in a traumatic event. Animal dumping during the holidays spikes in North Dakota "Peer support check-in after identified high-risk trauma calls that act as a gap to when we would have a critical stress debrief, but the big scope of it we are working with those agencies and using that referral process or saying these are your options so we can keep our people healthy," said Sgt. Sandusky. Sandusky says that the many issues that officers face can compound over time making many of the out-of-state treatment centers that work with the department that much more important. "Agencies like Shadowproof and different programs and treatment centers help bring these officers back to the line of duty," said Sgt. Sandusky. However, Sandusky says the point of the department's intervention is to drop all stigma surrounding mental health for officers in the line of duty. "Mental health is not a stigma and so overall growth and eventually adding in the physical aspect of it, physical fitness plays a big role in it there's definitely lots of room for growth," said Sgt. Sandusky, The Minot Police Department is looking to expand the department's wellness program going into next year. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW