 Well, it's a job only a veteran can fill. That's the stipulation for a local police department looking to add to its force. Scott Koch explains. As veterans return home from war, they face a tough transition period. But in 2012, the Obama administration began providing tens of millions of dollars in funds for veteran-only positions in police departments across the nation. It's wonderful, really without it, I don't know if we'd have been able to get back, at least back this quickly. The East Grand Forks Police Department has been short staffed for years. Now they're interviewing war heroes, set with a $125,000 grant from the government for having a veteran on the force. But is that a good thing? According to a study done by USA Today in the Marshall Project, veterans who work as police are more vulnerable to self-destructive behavior like alcohol and drug abuse or attempted suicide. The study also concluded that most law enforcement agencies do little to no mental health screening for officers who have returned from military deployment. For any new hired officer, they do have to take, as part of their hiring process, they do have to take a psychological exam. I've read a number of articles in the recent past about officers that have had certain issues, veteran officers that have had issues with the PTSD, and it's obviously something that we would consider. But I think that's just that much more reason to give those folks a chance and just, I guess, monitor them as best you can. In fact, the East Grand Forks Police Department has had issues with veterans in the past. Just last year, they had to dismiss an officer who was suffering from PTSD. I wouldn't say it worries me. And as I mentioned, we do do the testing beforehand. Our training program is quite long and extensive. They're in training for approximately four, four and a half months before we ever put them out on their own. And they're with a field training officer that entire time. So does that guarantee we're not gonna have any problems? Of course not. You never know what might crop up down the road. But I think it's a pretty good safety fact. The department has gotten this grant one time before that officer left the department this winter for a different agency. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.