Brother of man shot to death by Decatur police running in city election

A second person on Tuesday announced plans to run for the District 1 Decatur City Council seat, two weeks before qualifying begins.

Decatur Youth Services coordinator Nick Perkins spoke at a press conference at Progressive Christian Outreach on Memorial Drive Southwest along with several of his supporters.

“I stand here before you today the son of a teacher and a custodian, so trust me when I say I know the value of hard work,” Perkins said.

Perkins’ younger brother Steve was fatally shot by Decatur police in the early hours of Sept. 29, 2023, as a tow truck driver repossessed his truck from his driveway.

Nick Perkins, 44, said becoming a campus safety officer at Alabama A&M University helped shape his opinion of public safety and he learned “the balance between keeping people safe and respecting their rights.”

One of his main priorities is bringing jobs to District 1, the importance of which he said he was reminded of while driving down West Moulton Street recently.

“I couldn’t help but notice the empty storefronts, reminders that while the rest of north Alabama is booming, too many of our neighbors still live and leave all of Decatur just to find a decent job or a simple night out,” Perkins said. “That stops now.”

Perkins was raised in Hillsboro and moved to Decatur in 2019 and has been a resident in District 1, which encompasses Northwest Decatur, since 2022.

He said one of his first priorities would be to bring the city together by encouraging more community forums.

“My goal is to bring everyone to the table,” Perkins said. “Decatur cannot go forward unless everyone is on the same page. That would be my No. 1 priority.”

In February, Perkins said he was considering running for mayor but on Tuesday said he changed his mind after consulting with his family and decided councilman was a better route to go at this time.

“That is the goal eventually, but we’ll get there,” Perkins said of running for mayor.

Longtime District 1 Councilman Billy Jackson announced May 19 that he would give up his council seat and run for mayor.

Perkins said he supports the hiring of Torry Mack as Decatur’s new police chief, with Mack beginning the new role on Monday.

Social justice group Standing in Power co-founder Terrance Adkins, 37, announced his candidacy for the District 1 seat May 20. Standing in Power has coordinated numerous demonstrations in protest of Steve Perkins’ death and city officials’ actions in the aftermath.

Adkins said he also yearns for more job opportunities in the district as well as more resources its residents can utilize, like a grocery store.

“Our constituents have to leave outside of District 1 to pretty much do anything, like buying groceries and buying different things,” Adkins said Tuesday. “I think having somewhere for them to go to purchase food inside of District 1 would be a great thing. Also, we don’t really have anything for our youth to do, so our youth and senior citizens are being hit the most. In District 1, there is literally nothing for them to do.”

He said he wants to revitalize Vine Street and West Moulton Street to bring businesses back to the area.

Adkins said as far as the city is concerned, he is concerned about what he refers to as a “lack of leadership.”

“It starts at the top,” Adkins said. “So, with us having this election and having a new mayor and City Council coming forward, I think that will help with some of the issues because I don’t think they took the concerns of Decatur as seriously as they could.”

Adkins said he would like to see Mack work with the police command staff, introduce more community policing, and communicate better with the council.

“I would like for them to believe Chief Mack when he gives them information,” Adkins said.

Adkins said Jackson, who has been the councilman for District 1 since 1996, has been like a mentor to him and leaves big shoes to fill for whoever is elected.

“I want to make sure that I am as knowledgeable and personable as he was,” Adkins said. “I would love to be as half the councilman as he is, but I think I will be able to take it a little bit further.”

Adkins was raised in District 1 and, after coming back to the area from college, lived in District 2 for six years and has been living in District 1 for the past year.

City qualifying for the municipal election is June 10-25. The cost to register to run is $50. The election is Aug. 26, with the runoff, if necessary, on Sept. 23. The next four-year term begins Nov. 3.

The council president’s annual pay is $24,000 while other council members’ pay is $21,000 a year.

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