ATLANTA — Just weeks after violent attacks on a church and a Jewish rabbi's home in other parts of the country, several Georgia sheriff's offices have announced very similar plans to deter attacks on places of worship.
In the span of roughly four hours, sheriff's offices in Lumpkin, Laurens, Tift and Baldwin counties all announced plans to allow their deputies to drive their patrol vehicles to the churches or other religious institutions they attend.
Language among the four departments' messages was similar with both Tift and Baldwin counties iterating that "a place of worship should remain sacred and safe."
Lumpkin County Sheriff Stacy Jarrard described the step as proactive and effective immediately. Meanwhile, Laurens County Sheriff Larry Dean pointed to the sheer number of churches in the county and the many deputies who attend them.
RELATED: 'We cannot worship in fear': Metro Atlanta AME churches increase security after recent threat
"Deputies are not just deputies during their shift, they are peace officers all the time," Dean said. "They have a duty to act at any given time."
The hope is that seeing law enforcement vehicles in the lots of various churches around Georgia will bring pause to anyone with dangerous intentions.
It also follows the shooting at the West Freeway Church of Christ in Texas that left two dead. In that case, an armed guard returned fire after the gunman shot his weapon. Others in the church also drew their weapons. The gunman ultimately died.
Under a specific 2017 Texas law, churches there are allowed to have armed volunteer security.
Around the very same time in December, a knife attack at a rabbi's home left five people injured during Hanukkah. At least one witness said he began throwing tables and chairs to deter the attacker and protect himself. New York Mayor Andrew Cuomo later called the attack an act of domestic terrorism.
And closer to home in Hall County, an African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church was threatened with an attack in November by a teen girl who authorities say idolized Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof. The teen, who allegedly planned to murder multiple people, was taken into custody but left several in that church community on edge.
It's unclear at this point how many other sheriff's offices in Georgia have made similar decisions. 11Alive is also looking to see if this was a coordinated effort between multiple agencies given the similar messages released around the same time on Wednesday.
MORE HEADLINES