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Volunteer police chaplain responds to Cameron officer's death

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CAMERON, Texas — It’s been a tragic past few days for folks in Milam county as they grieve the loss of Cameron police officer Sgt. Josh Clouse.

Now, resources are pouring in from across the state.

"When an officer goes down and is killed in the line of duty, not only does an agency grieve, but a whole nation grieves," said Ron Leonard, a volunteer police chaplain.

This is unfortunately a story Leonard knows well.

“I've been doing this for 16 years.”

He lives in San Antonio.

“When I found out Texas, [the incident] became more home to me," Leonard explained.

He said that he hopes to make the trip to Cameron, the town of about 5,300 people.

“It’s my job just to get there and comfort the officers that are present.”

He supports families and officers of those who were impacted by loved ones and colleagues.

He and his wife put together goodie bags filled with snacks, "In God We Trust" car decals and other resources.

But, always, he prays.

“You can be assured of prayers, you can be assured of our support, you can be assured of the support of the community," Leonard said.

Because sometimes, in times like these, all some people need is to be comforted by those who know the story well.

“I’ve had officers come up to me with tears trickling down their face and say thank you for praying for me," he said.

"I’m just an officer that wants to get home to my family tonight.”

Leonard encourages anyone needing help to visit OS91.com for more resources.