Sheriff Heath Jackson of Escambia County was sworn in on Wednesday as the sergeant-at-arms of the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA).
The association rotates its officers in succession, so Jackson will become the national president of NSA in three years. It will mark only the third time in history that a sheriff from Alabama will hold the office of NSA President.
It gives new meaning to the old Alabama saying, “He’s the High Sheriff.”
Sheriff Jackson had been awarded the Alabama Sheriff’s Association “Sheriff of the Year” award for 2025. It was awarded after Jackson rescued four local people stranded on Burnt Corn Creek in rising flood waters.
Jackson was elected to his first term as sheriff in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. He had been unusually resilient in his goal of serving as sheriff, having to run three times before being elected. The third time was the charm.
NSA is known as “The Voice of America’s Sheriffs.” Started in 1940, it serves nationally through law enforcement training and resources for crime fighting. Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., just outside the nation’s capital, it includes deputies and other law enforcement in addition to sheriffs and retired sheriffs.
The 2025 annual conference of NSA kicked off on June 23 in Fort Lauderdale and is continuing. Jackson and 1,420 other sheriffs heard from FBI Director Kash Patel about coordination between federal and state law enforcement in fighting crime and terrorism. They also met with border czar Tom Homan.
The NSA officers conducted an honorary swearing-in of 13-year-old DJ Daniels, a Houston cancer patient whose goal is to become a law enforcement officer. He continues to go to law enforcement events despite a prognosis of five months to live.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler’s beat is the colorful and positive about Alabama -- her people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at [email protected].
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