SHERMAN, Texas (KTEN) — Helping veterans who are struggling in the civilian world is a big goal for many organizations.

"There are many ways to help veterans do that," said Jimmy Petty, the Grayson County Veterans Services officer. "And because of what they sacrifice, I think we owe that to them."

And the Sherman Police Department is there to help veterans in crisis situations.

"Veteran suicide is pretty prevalent, and we want to take every step that we can to stop it from happening," said department spokesperson Sgt. Brett Mullen.

"It's great to have a police department that understands that, and takes time to work with our veterans," Petty added.

On Wednesday Veterans Affairs brought some Veterans Crisis Line informational items to the Sherman Police Department.

"Dropped off some materials that we can use for our patrol officers to give to veterans that they may encounter on calls," Mullen explained.

The crisis hot line is an important tool for any veteran who's struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide.

"Citizens who go into service in the military, some of them experience significantly traumatic events," Petty said.

"A lot of times law enforcement is the first people they come in contact with, so it's good that we have resources that we can give them to point them in the right direction and get them the help they need," Mullen said.

There are as many as 11,000 veterans in Grayson County, so having more than two dozen support groups in Sherman — with others across the county — is a big deal.

"A veteran myself, it makes you feel like your service is appreciated," Petty said.

If you are a veteran who is struggling with mental health, you can visit the Veterans Crisis Line website or dial 988 and press 1.