Edmond Police Join Mental Health Initiative, In-House First Responders Counseling

A new wellness unit at the Edmond Police Department joins a growing national trend of in-house counseling for first responders.

"Certainly, over the last few years, we've learned more about as a profession how we can treat our officers," said Mark Nelson, the president of the Oklahoma Fraternal Order of Police.

Stephanie Williams first started with the department on an as-needed basis. She also helped colleagues of Sgt. CJ Nelson, who was killed in the line of duty. "When I started to work with first responders, there's something different about them," Williams said. "First of all, they're the greatest people. They have such a hard job; they have great integrity. They're in it to make the world a better place."

Her work in law enforcement was inspired by the post-traumatic stress endured by her grandfather, who fought in World War II. "Our family talks about how he was never the same person," she said.

Oklahoma City Police also have a wellness unit, which has been a source of support for Williams as she continues in a new full-time role for Edmond. She's joined everyday by her therapy dog, Han Solo. "The tragedies that we see and experience in this profession, I think going forward, I think departments and law enforcement as a whole are much better equipped to deal with that than we used to be," Nelson said.

Nelson said the state Fraternal Order of Police also is working on plans and resources for smaller departments and agencies to support mental health initiatives.