FROM STAFF REPORTS

Former Statesville Police Chief David Addison announced he is running for district attorney for Iredell and Alexander counties.

Addison, a Republican who is challenging incumbent District Attorney Sarah Kirkman in the March 5 primary election, said he decided to seek the office after retiring from the SPD in August of 2022.

“I knew more work needed to be done in our community because habitual violent criminals were being arrested and still walking in our neighborhoods. Several individuals are in jail for long periods of time awaiting their respective day in court,” Addison said in his official campaign announcement.

“Everyone deserves a trial to resolve their respective criminal issues,” he added. “I respect the work of the District Attorney’s Office; however, we need better leadership in the pursuit of justice in the courts for the citizens of Iredell and Alexander counties.”

Addison provided the following data from the N.C. court system:

♦ In Iredell County, out of the 27,984 cases, 23,630 were dismissed or disposed of without a guilty plea.

♦ In Alexander County, out of the 4,337 cases filed, 3,676 were dismissed or disposed of without a guilty plea.

Addison said he would work to improve those statistics.

“My goals are to introduce transparency whenever possible through sharing our outcomes, reduce the habitual career criminals through increased prosecution, reduce the time before a case goes to trial, and become more involved in crime reduction by attending community meetings and listening to our citizens’ concerns,” he said. “I will meet regularly with leaders in the law enforcement community to improve relationships and assist with crime reduction.”

In his law enforcement career, Addison worked as a patrol officer, homicide investigator, and juvenile investigator, among other positions. He attended North Carolina Central University School of Law in the evenings while working as a captain with the Durham Police Department.

Addison graduated from law school in 2016 and was admitted to the bar the same year. He volunteered with Legal Aid of North Carolina and was awarded the Pro Bono Award for his work.