District Attorney Michael Jackson has announced his campaign for re-election as district attorney of the Fourth Judicial District, which includes Bibb, Dallas, Hale, Perry and Wilcox counties.

“I ran on a platform of being tough and fair,” said Jackson. “I have fulfilled this promise. the gunslingers, murderers, robbers, rapists and child molesters know that I am going to ship them off to prison for a long time.”

Jackson said in 2004 before he took office there were nearly 20 murders in Dallas County.

“Something had to be done,” he said. “That is one of the reasons I have taken a tough stand on crime.”

Jackson has started an anti-gang unit to deal with the growing gang problem in schools and neighborhoods.

The Fourth Judicial Circuit’s Drug Task Force has been expanded to crack down on drug dealers and manufacturers, Jackson said.

“I helped launch the Zerometh.com campaign to deal with the growing meth problem,” the district attorney said.

During his first term, Jackson helped start the Child Advocacy Center to help children who have been molested.

He is one of only 11 district attorneys across the state elected by his peers to serve on the executive board of the Alabama District Attorney’s Association and the only elected district attorney in the state serving on the statewide Judicial Advisory Committee.

Jackson helped start a pre-trial diversion program for first-time, nonviolent offenders and a Drug Court to help tackle the drug addiction plaguing the community.

“I have also helped with economic development by bringing the Walt Disney Apprenticeship Program to our area to allow school kids to get job experience and college experience,” he said.

Jackson has opened an office in every county in the Fourth Judicial Circuit and he maintains an open-door policy.

“Citizens do not need an appointment to come see me because I understand that justice cannot wait,” Jackson said.

Jackson is a graduate of Centre College, Danville, Ken. and the Florida State School of Law.