JOURDANTON, Texas — It's the same Sunday morning routine for members of St. John Lutheran Church in Jourdanton, but there's a new friendly face greeting them as they walk in.
As he holds the door open, Sgt. Pierce Ruple welcomes each member with a smile.
"A lot of the times we're just patrolling, so all they see is the patrol vehicle and maybe a wave," Ruple said. "They're good people and I'd like to show them that we have their back."
Ruple spends about 15 minutes chit-chatting with members, helping people of all ages get inside before the service starts. As they go into worship, he hopes they feel safe.
"We just thought it was the right thing to do," Ruple said.
After last month's shooting at a church near Fort Worth, Jourdanton Police Chief Eric Kaiser decided to take action going into the new year.
"We've decided in 2020 to try to put an extra emphasis on keeping our churches safe," Kaiser said.
The 10 officers in his department take turns visiting the four churches in town on Sunday mornings. They patrol the parking lot and visit with members, if they have the time.
"Churches can be vulnerable places," Kaiser said. "So we've directed our patrol officers to make their presence known."
Ruple is happy to do it. It gives him a chance to connect with the community. He hopes being there is enough for parishioners to leave their worries at he door.
"It's a good town with good people," Ruple said. "It's to show the community that we support them, take care of them like they take care of us."
As long as no other calls come up, Kaiser said people should expect to see officers around their church every Sunday morning. Kaiser said some of the churches also have their own security teams. It was a member of the White Settlement church security team who took down the shooter.
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