North Carolina police guard chief’s home after March protest

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Police in North Carolina’s capital city have been monitoring the home of the department’s chief around the clock in the nearly two months since crowds showed up at her door protesting a police shooting, officials said Thursday.

Raleigh police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown received the protective detail shortly after the shooting of Javier Torres, 26, on March 10 ignited spontaneous demonstrations across the city, according to a department statement.

The protests unfolded as social media rumors incorrectly suggested an unarmed 16-year-old was shot and killed by an officer. Hours after the shooting, news video showed crowds at Deck-Brown’s home, demanding to see her.

The Raleigh Police Department said more than 100 people showed up at the address “late at night” after it was distributed on social media. The chief has since received multiple threatening emails, officials added.

“Even as the Department works to determine which threats are credible and those that are not, we find it necessary to continue the security detail for Chief Deck-Brown and, by extension, her neighbors,” The department said.

Raleigh’s police union questioned the added security measures in a statement Thursday, calling the service “unusual” and “an atypical use of city and police resources.”

The union said it submitted a public information request and found officers have been guarding the chief’s home at all hours for more than 50 days.

The department, however, said protective details for public officials who have received threats have been provided before.