Who is Jacob Kersey? Georgia cop claims he was 'bullied' to quit after FB post against gay marriage
PORT WENTWORTH, GEORGIA: A former law enforcement officer in Georgia claims that his superiors warned him about his opinions on gay marriage before pressuring him to resign. Jacob Kersey alleges the department's retaliation came after he refused to delete a Facebook post expressing his Christian beliefs on gay marriage.
Kersey, who joined the department at a young age, wrote in the post, "God designed marriage. Marriage refers to Christ and the church. That’s why there is no such thing as homosexual marriage.” He was referring to Apostle Paul’s teaching in the Book of Ephesians.
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Kersey also wrote on Twitter, "God designed marriage. Marriage refers to Christ and the church.” He also wrote, paraphrasing the Apostle Paul’s teaching in the Book of Ephesians, “That’s why there is no such thing as homosexual marriage.” He also uploaded the same on Instagram.
Who is Jacob Kersey?
Jacob Kersey is an educator and Christian podcaster. At the end of 2016, he shared his perspective on certain contemporary concerns with his pals. After receiving encouraging responses, he decided to record a podcast. 'The Jacob Kersey Program', which has been airing for almost four years and provides a Christian conservative viewpoint on current events, has seen rapid expansion since. Before becoming a part-time Resource Educator who provides Historical Interpretation in April 2019, he volunteered for the Coastal Heritage Society, a nonprofit corporation created in 1975 that administers five historic sites, as well as the podcast.
Although Kersey was not terminated as a result of the investigation, he has stated that he left because he was warned he could be fired for any future inappropriate social media statements. He claimed to have discussed potential legal action with a law firm.
Kersey alleged in an interview with The Daily Signal that his boss threatened to fire him if he didn't remove his Facebook post. He also claimed that Lt Justin Hardy then called him, explaining that the Port Wentworth Police Department was concerned about potential liability in the event of a "use of force" incident involving a member of the LGBTQ community. Kersey was steadfast in his refusal to take down the comment.
Later that day, Major Lee Sherrod of the department called the officer and demanded that he turn over all city property the following morning, January 4. He was greeted by Sherrod, Hardy, Captain Nathan Jentzen, and Chief Matt Libby upon his arrival at the station. "I was put on administrative leave while the city investigated to determine whether I could keep my job," Kersey added. "I've been called smart beyond my years, an old soul, and brag on all the time but I'm not allowed to write that online."
Kersey received a “letter of notification” from Sherrod dated January 13. The letter explained that although Kersey is entitled to his own personal beliefs, he could be terminated if any social media post rendered him "unable to perform in a fair and equitable manner."
Four days after the date on the letter, on January 17, Kersey formally resigned from the Port Wentworth Police Department. “I decided to resign … because I just didn’t think it wise to go back and play their game,” he said. “The way things went down, I didn’t feel as if my command really had my back.” Looking back, the former police officer says he felt he was being bullied, through the fear of termination, into taking down his Facebook post. He also claimed that his captain told him his "status" as a police officer "curtailed" his freedom of expression.