NAMPA, Idaho — Dallas Sklar's husband, an ACSO deputy who responded to deputy Tobin Bolter's traffic stop where he was shot and killed, details the support officers and families see from each other and neighboring departments of the law enforcement community.
- Deputy Bolter was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Saturday night.
- Dallas Sklar got a text from her husband Saturday night saying "I'm OK." Right then, she knew that while he might okay, something was definitely wrong.
- From counseling services to assistance programs through Human Resources, agencies are stepping up to ensure their officers have the mental health resources they need.
- Dallas has seen a younger generation of officers seeking out help for work-related or personal-related traumas.
- If you or someone you know needs help, please call 988.
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(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
"My husband went back to work yesterday but this was definitely the first time that something like this has happened in his law enforcement career."
Dallas Sklar got a text from her husband Saturday night saying "I'm OK." Right then, she knew that while he might okay, something was definitely wrong. Her husband, an ACSO deputy, knew Tobin Bolter well and responded to the scene where Bolter was shot and killed at a traffic stop. In times of unimaginable tragedy, law enforcement officers can face immense emotional turmoil. But behind the badge, there's a network of support that's as strong as steel.
"For yesterday to be at the funeral home greeting Tobin and his family and seeing the grown men and women losing it is hard."
From counseling services to assistance programs through Human Resources, agencies are stepping up to ensure their officers have the mental health resources they need.
"Is there now more willingness to seek help after a shift or an event like this?" I asked Dallas.
"I believe there is. I have a couple of officer friends who have recently seeked [sought] out some big help for childhood trauma. I definitely do think it's a generational thing and there are so many options out there for people to go to."
In the face of adversity, the bond among law enforcement officers and families remains unbreakable, proving that even in the darkest moments, they're never alone.
"It really is just a giant family, all the wives are friends and the husbands are friends and they do everything together; it's great, it's a giant family."
