(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue, Wednesday night, announced to the Atlantic City Council, that the department applied for and was awarded a maximum $200,000 flow-through grant from the U-S Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services Act as part of the law enforcement for mental health and wellness, with a sub-category for program implementation, to facilitate an Officer Mental Health and Resiliency program.

A similar, free three-day program was held last year in Atlantic, for area law enforcement and some from throughout the State. The success of that program spurred the concept of offering the class for law enforcement from all across the State. Chief Hogue and Officer Tony Snyder poured over the 61-page of instructions and requirements to apply for the grant.

There are two phases to the program, including End-user training, and adding facilitators from across the State so the program can grow. Chief Hogue said there was $9-million dollars awarded total to 60 agencies throughout the nation. Only one other city in Iowa, Muscatine, was awarded a grant for southeast Iowa.

Chief Hogue said Officer Snyder was instrumental in securing the Federal Grant, thanks to his diligence in looking to fine details of the application.