The Ramapo Police Department is just one law enforcement agency in Rockland increasing their visual presence around houses of worship during Hanukkah.

News 12 saw an officer patrolling near a synagogue in New Square with a long gun and politely interacting with those who passed by.

A show of strength is just one part of the police departments' way of keeping people safe, according to Chief Daniel Hyman.

"The message should be very clear that our officers are well trained," he said in a one-on-one interview with News 12. "They're well-armed and they're ready to take action to neutralize a situation if it comes to that."

According to the chief, the department performed around 14,000 house of worship checks in 2024. It is on pace to do 17,000 this year.

News 12 found another Ramapo officer parked outside a yeshiva in New Hempstead.

"They're going to see a police presence and there is also going to be a police presence out there that they may not see. But we're there to keep them safe," said Chief Hyman.

The increased presence comes in the wake of the Bondi Beach Hanukkah celebration attack in Australia where at least 15 people died. Ramapo dealt with a Hanukkah stabbing in 2019. Grafton Thomas went into a house of worship in Monsey and stabbed five people with a machete. One man later died from his injuries.

Thomas was ruled incompetent to stand trial.

"So, we understand this, just like the rest of the world is understanding what's going on in their neighborhoods," said Chief Hyman. "All the more reason we need to be visible. We need to train for this and we do."