STANTON, Neb. — A longtime county sheriff in northeast Nebraska will not be seeking reelection.

Stanton County Sheriff Mike Unger made the announcement Monday morning. Unger has served as sheriff for 33 years and will serve through next year to finish out his term. Unger has worked as a law enforcement officer in Stanton County since 1986.

“This was not an easy decision, but I think that I have given everything I have to offer to this county and law enforcement itself,” Unger wrote in a news release.

In his statement, Unger thanked his family and friends for sacrificing to allow him to do the job the way he views as necessary.

“I think it’s time I put them first and try to pay back all they have given me,” Unger said. “I’m proud to finish this post with a lot of accomplishments and knowing I always did my best, was always the first through the door and never asked anyone to do anything I had not done or was willing to do.”

Unger developed a reputation as a strict enforcer of the law and an outspoken critic of of the criminal justice system.

“I wished I could say that the system and changes were all for the good, but to be quite honest, the criminal justice system is broken from the top to the bottom and in need of major overhauls,” Unger said in the release.