Peer support program grows in Kasson PD

In a profession where stress is constant and silence is often the norm, the Kasson Police Department is taking steps to change the conversation around mental health.
Police Chief Josh Hanson said the department has recently begun participating in a peer support program, thanks to collaboration with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office. While Kasson does not yet have a formal program of its own, officers are now receiving training to build one.
“As an agency, we have been lacking a peer support program,” Hanson said. “The members of the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office who are trained as peer support members have graciously allowed our officers to utilize their program.”
Hanson and Sgt. Jesse Kasel recently completed a 30-hour training course led by licensed clinical psychologists and counselors. The training included classroom instruction and scenario-based exercises.
“The peer support program gives officers a chance to talk to someone who is also in law enforcement and someone they trust,” Hanson said. “It’s not a replacement for traditional mental health services, but it does augment them.”
In smaller departments like Kasson’s, where officers often respond to calls involving people they know personally, the emotional toll can be significant.
“Police officers respond to traumatic incidents daily, and it can be personal, especially in a smaller city,” Hanson said. “It’s more likely that we will personally know the person we are dealing with or their family.”
The department encourages officers to maintain a healthy work-life balance, including hobbies and time away from the job. Still, Hanson said peer support plays a critical role in breaking down stigma and encouraging officers to seek help.
“Officers need to be able to talk to someone about their stressors and realize that they are not alone,” he said.
The 2013 death of Deputy Loring Geunther deeply impacted the region and helped catalyze mental health initiatives in Dodge County.
“Loring’s death taught us that the cumulative effect of daily stress can be deadly,” Hanson said. “His legacy continues, and we need to learn from it.”
Following Geunther’s passing, Dodge County launched its first chaplain and peer support programs, now used by both the county and Kasson police.
“The peer support program is just one step in ensuring healthy officers,” Hanson said. “We need to support our police officers by making sure they have the staffing to allow them to step away from the daily stress.”