Democrat
Tom Gibbons
Granite City
Age: 42
Married
Children: 2
Job: Madison County state's attorney
Phone: (618) 477-2993
Web: www.VoteTomGibbons.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/VoteTomGibbons
Twitter: www.Facebook.com/VoteTomGibbons
E-mail: TomGibbonsforStatesAttorney@gmail.com
Education: B.A. in political Science, St. Louis University, 1992; J.D., St. Louis University, 1998; M.P.A., SIUE, 2003
Previous offices: --
Qualifications: My experience, education, and understanding of the issues facing Madison County ensure that I have the tools to best serve the people as their state's attorney. With more than a decade of service as a prosecutor, I have dedicated my career to holding defendants accountable for their actions and keeping dangerous criminals off the street. I began my career with the state's attorney's office during my first year of law school and quickly discovered my passion for fighting for justice for victims of crime. After graduation, I was hired full-time as an assistant state's attorney and served the office as chief of the misdemeanor and traffic division before eventually moving to the felony trial division. The results of this experience are evident in my successes as state's attorney: the highest conviction rate of any previous administration, improvements in individual departments such as the child support division while trimming the budget by 12 percent, and my unwavering fight to stop the heroin epidemic through tough prosecution, education and awareness. My partnerships with local police departments, our sheriff's department, federal authorities and legislators allow us to work together to fight back against drug traffickers and perpetrators of violent crime - especially crimes against children. In addition to my proven record in the courtroom, I understand what it takes to be an effective administrator. My experience in my family's small business taught me that there is always room for improvement. I am constantly seeking ways to save taxpayer dollars by reducing costs and improving efficiency without compromising the integrity of the system. Finally, as a lifelong resident of Madison County and the father of two boys, I am committed to keeping our families safe and ensuring our county remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
Top issues: One of the top issues we face continues to be the heroin epidemic plaguing our county. Since taking office, I have made this issue a priority. From my work with U.S. Attorney Steve Wiggington to ensure dealers are held accountable for their crimes to collaborating with local legislators to close loopholes in the law, we have sent a signal to dealers and drug traffickers that Madison County will not stop until they are behind bars. However, prosecution is only one side of the equation; public awareness is an equally important aspect of this battle. I have joined forces with community organizations and my fellow elected officials to spread the message. We have launched the Lock Your Meds campaign to try and stop heroin addiction at its root, which is often prescription pill abuse. I am constantly meeting with civic groups and speaking at schools and churches to raise awareness, educate citizens, and identify new strategies to combat this epidemic. Protecting children and families is another issue of paramount importance. I work tirelessly to protect children from violence and sexual predators. If you commit a crime against a child in Madison County, you can expect to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. As with many crimes, education and prevention are critical parts of the fight, which is why I work in close partnership with child advocacy services to ensure they have the tools they need to advocate on behalf of our children and help identify problems before they end up in the courtroom. My office is committed to fighting for victims of domestic violence, crimes against women, and elder abuse. Our elder abuse division takes a no tolerance approach to curb crimes against the elderly, and the fatality review team created in conjunction with the Madison County coroner's office ensures justice is served when unimaginable crimes are committed against our senior citizens. Finally, I am committed to upholding the integrity of our justice system. I work hard to ensure all residents are treated fairly and equally in our courts. My prosecution of a public official for the theft of more than $140,000 taxpayer dollars is just one example of my commitment to protecting the public and holding everyone equally accountable.
