Eden Prairie Police Lt. Jess Irmiter received a surprise award Oct. 23 for his work promoting mental health and peer-support programs for first responders across Minnesota.

The award was presented during a first responder peer-support conference hosted by the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT) and the Public Safety Peer Support Advisory Board (PSAB). Irmiter has served on the PSAB since its founding in 2020 and is currently its president.

The PSAB was created to help establish statewide standards for peer-support training, policy development, and wellness programs for police, fire, and emergency medical service agencies. Under Irmiter’s leadership, the board developed guidelines and curricula now used by departments across the state.

In a statement, the PSAB and LMCIT credited Irmiter with “a sustained and heartfelt commitment to improving how Minnesota’s first responders are supported, cared for and empowered.”

The Eden Prairie Police Department congratulated Irmiter in an Oct. 28 blog post, saying it is “proud of the work he has done for the health and wellness of Eden Prairie first responders and first responders across Minnesota.”