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Harris County Pct. 4 Constable Deputies praying for protection
FOX 26 Reporter Damali Keith has more as the Harris County Constable Precinct 4's office is turning to prayer following the recent violence that has affected their department.
HOUSTON - Their department had three deputies shot, one killed and a sub-station shot up all in less than a month. Now, a group of supporters is joining the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office calling for an end to the violence.
"We say no more. This pendulum of lawlessness is retreating. It’s going back the other direction," says one pastor with the Houston Area Pastor Council, as several members of clergy gather in a Precinct 4 parking lot praying for protection for the deputies that are flocked around them.
RELATED: 3 officers shot, 1 killed during apparent ambush in north Harris Co.
Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman, dozens of deputies, a swarm of pastoral supporters and one more special guest gather at Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Afternoon Roll Call.
"Bless them as they come and bless them as they go, Father. We thank you, God, for all their many blessings. We pray for their protection," one pastor presents passionate pleas.
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The group is praying for guidance and for God’s hand to cover the deputies.
"Lord we can’t see it, but we can feel it and we know it is there, around every one of these officers, every one of the support staff, and this precinct and we want to lift up our community to you and our city."
"We were offered for these great pastors to come and pray over my department and my deputies. We gracefully accepted and we’re blessed for them being here today," says Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman.
This comes after a Precinct 4 station was shot up just last week and three of the precinct’s deputies were shot last month and one died. Deputy Kareem Atkins widow joined in the prayer as they believe light will overcome darkness.
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"Because there is a God and prayer works," said Herman.
"We just felt like we had to step up and start with prayer and come together right here. When we have a station shot up in broad daylight, we’re approaching a state of lawlessness that our culture can not survive. Then frankly no citizen is safe. We’re not safe in our streets. We’re not safe in our homes, our businesses, and we can’t live in a place like that, in a condition like that. We pray for these deputies. Their lives are on the line every day serving us to keep us safe and we know that prayer works," adds Executive Director of Houston Area Pastor Council Dave Welch.
RELATED: Suspect fires weapon at police station in Spring, search underway
"This is not a political issue. God is not a Democrat and he is not a Republican, but he has a side and people have got to get on it. We can overcome evil with good. We can’t just holler 'we've got your back.’ We need to stand shoulder to shoulder with these men and women. We’re charged by God to stand in the way of lawlessness. So we’re with them, not behind them," says Pastor James Buntrock.
"Bless and protect all these men and women who serve and deliver us into a better time," another pastor prayed to the group.
Deputy Juqaim Barthen, who was one of the three deputies shot last month, was released from the hospital after several days there. Dep. Darryl Garrett is said to be doing better but is still in ICU.