At the next DeKalb County Board of Commissioners (BOC) meeting, I will begin the process to introduce legislation to provide a pay increase to our rank and file police officers, fire fighters, and 9-11 operators.
Additionally, I will work within the framework of the DeKalb BOC County Operations and Public Safety Committee (COPS), to initiate a process to provide additional funding for the DeKalb County police so that they have every type of (and the necessary amount of) equipment to both protect themselves and the civilian population.
I also will initiate a discussion with the BOC and the DeKalb County Department of Public Safety to examine what types of specialized training needs to be considered for our police officers.
Both our officers and the civilian population will benefit from an effort to determine if our officers should receive training in matters such as, dealing with deaf and blind citizens, veterans, and issues such as, PTSD.
I will also ask the BOC to start the process of supporting the establishment of Veteran’s Courts in DeKalb County.
I strongly feel DeKalb County will be a better and safer place if we move forward and expand our training – to both offer protection to our officers and civilians.
DeKalb County is united in our support for our public safety heroes which include our firefighters, emergency management team, paramedics, 911 operators, and our police officers.
Across every demographic, people of good will in DeKalb, the ones who pay the taxes and obey the law, agree it is the men and women of the DeKalb County Police Department who protect us from those who would do us and our families harm.
Recently, I had the privilege to meet with some family members of DeKalb county residents who have been involved in incidents with the DeKalb County Police.
I, like all Christians, mourn the loss of a life - I know all lives matter.
Regrettably, a small group of political activists have come into DeKalb County – not seeking to unite people, but, rather, to divide our county – and the good people of DeKalb County will not allow any outside group of political activists to divide or define us.
The “so called” DeKalb County Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability has attempted to hijack the dialogue and exploit grieving families in DeKalb County to advance their extreme, anti- police, anti- taxpayer agenda.
They have tried and they have failed.
It is irresponsible and unforgivable that this small group of political activists have exploited grieving families.
It is counterproductive that this small group of political activists have issued a list of demands aimed at degrading the ability of the DeKalb County Police to serve and protect the taxpayers of DeKalb County.
Their agenda is so out of touch with reality as to be dangerous to the safety and well-being of both police and civilians.
The leader of this small group of political activists must be held accountable for the actions of his organization.
The self–identified leader of DeKalb County Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability is Georgia State University Professor Makungu Akinyela.
On Tuesday, September 15, members of Georgia State University Professor Makungu Akinyela’s organization announced via social media their plans to disrupt my Town Hall meeting in Tucker and to demand I attend a meeting the following day.
Their desire to disrupt and hijack the meeting failed to gain traction as I announced I had previously committed to attend the meeting in question.
The following day, Wednesday, September 16 members of DeKalb County Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability did hijack what was supposed to be a private meeting between DeKalb County officials and members of a small number of DeKalb County families.
Georgia State University Professor Makungu Akinyela dominated this meeting and self-identified as the leader of the DeKalb County Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability.
At some point in this meeting, after Georgia State University Professor Makungu Akinyela had already allowed his members to use language which included profanity, threats, and outright hostility towards a number of people from DeKalb County government, Georgia State University Professor Makungu Akinyela’s took no action when one of his members threatened my life. He, likewise, failed to immediately disavow both the person and her threat – he allowed it to stand.
Georgia State University Professor Makungu Akinyela, as the self-identified leader and self-appointed chair of this meeting, failed to address one of his members calling me a BITCH and condoned hate speech.
It is unclear if Georgia State University Professor Makungu Akinyela was on taxpayer time when this occurred.
It is imperative Georgia State University send an immediate and direct message that they do not tolerate hate speech and a “War on Women” from their taxpayer funded employees.
Unfortunately, it gets worse and more dangerous.
On Sunday, September 20, a member of Georgia State University Professor Makungu Akinyela’s organization sent a series of tweets threatening the lives of my minor children.
There is no circumstance, no scenario, where threats against children are acceptable.
None.
These threats, by a member of Georgia State University Professor Makungu Akinyela’s organization, have not been denounced by Georgia State University Professor Makungu Akinyela.
Georgia State University Professor Makungu Akinyela has not reached out to me to apologize.
In fact, Georgia State University Professor Makungu Akinyela has shown no compassion to the reality that one of his members threatened the lives of two children.
Georgia State University must address the reality that they have chosen to give taxpayer dollars to a man who leads an organization whose members threaten the lives of minor children on social media.
Does Georgia State University condone this type of action?
Sadly, there is still more.
I am a Christian. However, I posted a number of statements and photos in support of the DeKalb County Jewish community as they began their holy celebration of Rosh Hannah and Yom Kipper.
I am in possession of posts to my Facebook page where members of the DeKalb County Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability have used numerous anti-Semitic slurs interwoven with insults to women and one which states I am an operator of Satan.
There can be no place in DeKalb County, Metro Atlanta or Georgia State University, for a man who leads an organization which tolerates anti-Semitic posts on social media.
I look forward to Georgia State University reviewing the activities of Georgia State University Professor Makungu Akinyela.
I want to thank all the members of law enforcement at the federal, state, and local level who have enacted protocols regarding the safety of my minor children.
I ask for prayers of safety for both my children and those who are working to protect them during this scary time.
I want to conclude by saying there is difference between the families of DeKalb County, who are grieving the loss of life of a loved one, and the members of the DeKalb County Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability, who are exploiting these families to advance their political agenda.
It is important to note a large number of the members of the DeKalb County Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability do not live in DeKalb County - the good people of DeKalb County – White, Black, Asian, and Hispanic will not allow this small outside political organization to divide us or define us.
I have listened to the DeKalb County Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability and they responded with death threats against my minor children. Moving forward, no one of good faith in DeKalb County should show this organization any legitimacy - because when your members threaten to kill kids and use anti Sematic slurs, we don’t welcome that hate in DeKalb County.
Here is the "professor's" faculty page at Georgia State: http://cas.gsu.edu/profile/makungu-akinyela/
Even though his faculty bio page is blank, here is his CV where he is listed as a professor of African-American Studies.
Here's an image of this person from a search:
