Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin has announced he is seeking re-election.

Martin, a Republican, has been district attorney since January 1998 when he was appointed by commissioners to succeed Judge Robert L. Steinberg.

He was elected to four-year terms in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011.

"It has been an honor and privilege to have served the citizens of Lehigh County as district attorney for almost 17 years," Martin said. "I believe my leadership of this important office has been effective and that the citizens of Lehigh County, who have placed their trust in me, have been well served.

"The record compiled by our office has been outstanding, and I am quite comfortable running on my record for a fifth elected term of office.

"When the record of the district attorney's office under my leadership is scrutinized, as it should be, I believe the voters will be satisfied that the office of district attorney has been and is in good hands under my leadership, and I deserve the opportunity to continue as district attorney."

Through 2013, Martin's office has disposed of more than 70,000 adult criminal cases with a conviction rate of more than 96 percent.

Martin said the criminal caseload in Lehigh County is current, and there is no backlog.

For those murder cases that went to trial, the conviction rate is greater than 92 percent.

"I am proud of the record represented by these statistics," Martin said. "They represent the fact that as district attorney, I have assembled a skilled, hard-working staff, who are working well with the Court of Common Pleas to dispose of cases in a timely manner.

"As chief law enforcement officer of the county, I am also very proud of the municipal and state police officers and county detectives who serve within this jurisdiction. Our high conviction rate also reflects the professionalism of our law enforcement officers and the great work that they do."

Martin pointed to a number of innovations he has spearheaded:

The first Investigating Grand Jury in Lehigh County's history was empaneled in 2001.

The Child Advocacy Center of Lehigh County was established in 2001, as a co-located facility bringing law enforcement, Office of Children and Youth caseworkers and health care professionals together in one place.

The Municipal Emergency Response Team was formed by Martin in cooperation with Lehigh County Chiefs of Police in 2001.

The Lehigh County Homicide Task Force, formed by Martin in summer 2005, has assisted area police departments, particularly Allentown Police Department, in solving 78 criminal homicides to date.

The Officer David M. Petzold Digital Forensics Laboratory of Lehigh County was initiated in partnership with the Officer David M. Petzold Memorial Foundation, DeSales University, and the district attorney to provide state-of-the-art digital forensic analyses.

In January 2011, Martin established the District Attorney's Veterans' Mentor Program, which pairs veterans in the community with veterans who are charged with non-violent crimes.

The Elder Abuse Task Force, formed by Martin in 2007, continues to increase public awareness of elder abuse and neglect and assists in investigations of crimes against the elderly.

In 2012-13, Martin established the Lehigh County Firearm and Tool Mark Laboratory to provide Lehigh County law enforcement agencies with expert ballistics examinations. This modern lab is located in the new Cetronia Ambulance Corps Building in South Whitehall Township.

"During my tenure, the district attorney's office has always operated within its budget, has made the most of grant funding opportunities and other cost-saving measures and has always returned money to the county general fund at the conclusion of the fiscal year," Martin said.

Martin graduated from Allentown Central Catholic High School and received a Bachelor's degree from Mount St. Mary's University in Maryland. He received his law degree from the Temple University School of Law. He resides with his wife, Patricia, in Center Valley.