Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has directed state law enforcement to step up security at places of worship in response to a wave of violent attacks at churches and other religious spaces across the country.
Abbott said the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) will work alongside local, state and federal agencies to expand protective measures for churches, synagogues, mosques and other faith-based organizations in the state.
“Places of worship are sacred,” Abbott said in a statement. “We will marshal all resources necessary to safeguard our places of faith. To accomplish that objective, I directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to bolster security efforts to protect places of worship.”
The state’s effort will include Texas Highway Patrol troopers, Criminal Investigations Division special agents, and Texas Rangers. These units, supported by the DPS Homeland Security Division, will focus on detecting potential threats, increasing patrol visibility, and preventing violence before it occurs.
Abbott also urged Texans to be proactive in reporting suspicious activity. He pointed to the iWatch Texas Community Reporting System, which allows residents to submit tips online, through a mobile app, or by phone. The tool is designed to flag signs of criminal, terroristic, or school safety-related threats.
The move comes after a series of high-profile tragedies at religious institutions in other parts of the country. On Sunday, four people were killed and eight others injured when a gunman drove through the front doors of a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan, about 60 miles northwest of Detroit. The suspect opened fire inside the building and later set it ablaze. Authorities said the church was still “actively on fire” late into the morning.
Just weeks earlier, a shooting at a Catholic school in Minnesota left two children dead and nearly two dozen others injured. In that case, a gunman fired through a window as students were gathered for morning mass at the start of the school year.
The incidents have reignited national concerns over the vulnerability of faith-based spaces and the broader challenge of protecting community gathering places. Abbott said Texas would not wait to act.
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