Threats Prompt Security Detail for DeKalb Commissioner

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DeKalb County Commissioner Nancy Jester won't say much about her new security detail, but will say it was prompted by social media posts that made her fear for her family's safety.

"I ask for prayers for me and my family and the officers protecting us during this scary time. Law enforcement is taking these threats very seriously, but I can't go in to all that they're doing," said Jester.

Jester says a tweet posted Last Wednesday is disturbing. It says "You know, I really hope NOTHING ever happens to your sons @nancy_jester because I'd HATE for you to feel the pain of Anthony Hill's mother."

That's a reference to the Air Force Veteran who was naked, mentally distressed and unarmed when he was shot by DeKalb Police in March 2015. Commissioner Jester says that post is just one of many inflammatory remarks on social media.

She says they were posted after closed door meeting last Wednesday with fellow county commissioners, the CEO, the public safety director, community activists and family members of black men shot by DeKalb police this year.

"I was there to listen and be respectful. There were lawyers there and these are open investigations and I thought it would be inappropriate for me to comment at the time," Jester told reporters Tuesday in downtown Decatur.

Jester says a member of the Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability threatened to "drag her" after she refused to comment about the cases. She says other posts that followed the meeting included this one on Facebook: "You are a joke of the devil. Your day is near."

"It is absolutely inappropriate to threaten my elementary school children with physical violence," said Jester.

Dr. Makungu Akinyela is a member of the Coalition. He and other members believe Jester has no reason to fear for her safety and insist she was the one who rude during the meeting with the families.

"She showed a total lack of compassion for the mothers there and now she's trying to be the victim here. We have no interest nor do we condone violence against commissioners, police or anyone. We have only one agenda and that's to get county leaders to address the problem we've seen with unarmed black men getting shot by police," Dr. Akinyela said after Jester's press conference.

The Coalition members say they are going to continue to press DeKalb County leaders to work to reduce the number of officer involved shootings with unarmed men.

Jester says she is not going to pursue criminal charges against those who posted the offensive remarks. She said today that would be counterproductive. She also announced plans to push for more training and pay raises for DeKalb police officers.

"I'm going to continue to support our officers," Jester said. "There's is a difference between grieving families and those who are using those families to serve their own agenda. Our county is united and should not be divided by people using grief for their own benefit. My son told me he is scared and that is hard for me as a mother," Jester said.