MD State Senator Michael A. Jackson Appointed as Acting MSP Superintendent
Maryland State Police Superintendent Col. Roland Butler is retiring on November 1st after over 31 years in law enforcement – and Lt. Col Daniel Pickett will serve as interim superintendent. Governor Wes Moore has appointed Maryland State Senator Michael A. Jackson as the acting superintendent of the Maryland State Police beginning on November 12. Jackson served 22 years with the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office – including 8 years as elected sheriff. He currently represents District 27 in the Maryland State Senate.
Additional information from Gov. Moore:
“Colonel Roland Butler is a true public servant in every sense of that phrase, and our state is safer because of his distinguished leadership,” said Gov. Moore. “During Colonel Butler’s tenure at the helm of State Police, Maryland has become a national leader in crime reduction and public safety gains. He leaves behind a profound legacy as he enters retirement. And I also know Senator Michael A. Jackson—an exceptional public servant in his own right—will build on the foundation Colonel Butler laid. Together, we will continue our all-of-the-above approach to public safety, grounded in accountability, coordination, and partnership.”
Col. Butler is retiring after more than 31 years in law enforcement. In addition to serving as Maryland Department of State Police Superintendent, he served as the Chairman of the Police Training Commission, Vice President of the Maryland Chief’s Association, and the Vice Chair of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. During his career Col. Butler also served as chief of the Maryland State Police Field Operations Bureau, where he led a patrol force of more than 1,000 troopers and investigative personnel assigned to 23 barracks. During his career, Col. Butler served in both line and supervisory positions as he was promoted through the ranks. He served on the superintendent’s staff in the Maryland State Police Support Services Bureau Office of Equity and Inclusion, and in other positions throughout the Field Operations Bureau.
A lifelong public servant, Michael A. Jackson served twenty-two years with the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office, including eight years as elected sheriff for Prince George’s County and more than five years as Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #112 president.
Elected to the Maryland General Assembly in 2014, Jackson served as the state delegate for legislative district 27B from 2015-2021. While a member of the House of Delegates, he sat on the Appropriations Committee and served as vice chair in 2020. In January 2021 he was appointed and subsequently elected in November 2022 to represent district 27 in the State Senate. During his tenure, he has served as chair of the Pensions Subcommittee as well as the Public Safety, Transportation and Environment Subcommittee. He also served as the chair of the Senate Veterans Caucus and as a member of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.
A recipient of numerous honors and awards, Jackson’s name was entered into the Congressional Record for having established the first 24/7 Domestic Violence Intervention Unit in the Mid-Atlantic Region. He also directed the Maryland Community Crime Prevention Institute, the Leadership Development Institute, and the Maryland Sheriffs’ Association.
Jackson is a United States Marine veteran and an alumnus of The Johns Hopkins University (M.S., Management); DeVry University (B.S., Technical Management/Electronic Engineering Technology); and St. Mary’s Seminary and University (Graduate Certificate, Biblical Studies).