Police chiefs from across Minnesota are working on mental health challenges together for the very first time.

This week, 32 police chiefs and command staff completed 30 hours of peer support training in Bloomington.

Bloomington Police Department said it was a “first-of-its-kind event” in Minnesota, with the goal of creating a support network for police leadership.

“The average lifespan of a police chief is between three and four years in these positions, so people are getting burnt out,” said Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges. “We spend so much time caring and making sure that those under your direction are under your protection that you sometimes forget about yourself.”

Hodges noted the role of chief can be stressful and isolating, as they navigate everything from hiring struggles to line-of-duty deaths to concerns from the public.

“At times, we are faced with challenging situations where the need to provide support to one another is at its utmost,” added Eagan Police Chief Roger New.

This week’s training was led by two psychotherapists from Minnesota-based Sunrise Wellness: a retired police officer and another who used to work in corrections.

They gave police chiefs resources for supporting each other during difficult situations.

“It’s a reminder that it’s OK to be vulnerable,” Hodges said. “Right now, we don’t do this. It doesn’t happen right now, chief to chief.”

The group also learned personal stress reduction techniques, such as breath work.

“This is something I think we can really build on, expand and move it across the state of Minnesota,” said Jay Henthorne, president of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association and chief of the Richfield Police Department.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS asked Hodges why the people of Minnesota should care about this type of new program.

He responded, “The people who lead the most visible government services are those of us who lead police departments. It behooves us to make sure we are the best person we can be coming into work every single day.”