Burnsville police, fire departments closer than ever months after first responders killed in standoff

BURNSVILLE, Minn. — It's been five months since three first responders were killed in the line of duty in Burnsville .

Police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge , along with firefighter and medic Adam Finseth , were shot as they responded to a 911 call for help on Feb. 18.

There are reminders everywhere at Burnsville police headquarters; in hallways and offices; and even the garage.

At Fire Station 1, there is a lone picture of Finseth on the Memorial Wall. He's the first and only city firefighter ever killed on the job.

"Grief doesn't end, certainly not quickly," said Burnsville Police Deputy Chief Matt Smith. "People are still grieving, and so we're still taking care of each other and making sure everyone is OK."

Smith says the best way he and his colleagues honor the fallen is getting to work, and they're doing that thanks to big assists from the department's growing list of mental health resources. That includes a counselor's number written boldly in the briefing room, the ability to work out during a shift, and Doc the wellness dog.

"It's hard to walk into a room with Doc and not see smiles on everybody's faces," Smith said. "Doc just brings the stress levels down."

Smith said the discussion of mental health has been normalized in the department, which he says means the world to him.

"If you aren't open and honest with people, they'll get upset and say, 'No, I really want you to talk to me and tell me what's going on,'" he said.

As these first responders balance how to help themselves and the community, Police Chief Tanya Schwartz and Fire Chief BJ Jungmann are figuring out how to respond to new challenges and threats.

"The questions in my mind aren't like about the tactics. They're not about is there something anyone did wrong, because I think our guys did everything right. They did everything they possibly could to save everybody there that they could," Schwartz said.

"The question becomes what's the right level of protection for everything we do?" Jungmann said.

For police, that could mean more armored vehicles and installing bulletproof door panels on squad cars. Fire crews already carry some ballistic vests and helmets, but they could start to wear them more often.

Both chiefs agree joint operations and joint training will be the norm.

"There's a lot they can teach us from a personal safety and a de-escalation standpoint that we don't get that training through paramedic school or through fire school," Jungmann said.

"I mean it's really just a give and take of that, and we're learning, and I think what we've learned even more so than what was before is that we're just all trying to do the same job, right? It's to take care of the community. At the end of the day, like we have to work together to do that," Schwartz said.

"As horrific as Feb. 18 is, I think that unison is pretty clear that we're all in this together," Jungmann said.

Both departments plan to honor the men by placing their names on memorials in the Washington D.C. area next year.