Commitment and Dedication

Jason Jackson was born and raised in El Centro, California, and has spent his life building a career around service to the community that shaped him. He earned an Associate’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Imperial Valley College, then went on to San Diego State University, where he completed a Bachelor’s in Criminal Law and a Master’s in Public Administration.

Jason’s path in public service began with four years as an El Centro Planning Commissioner, leading to his first election to the El Centro City Council in 2011. He was re elected in 2015 and served as Mayor in 2016. During his term as Mayor, he led the design and construction of the Veterans Memorial at Bucklin Park, and authored Measure P, the half cent sales tax that funded El Centro’s new library and police department, and directed millions of dollars into the city’s parks and recreation programs.

As a councilmember, Jason has brought his experience to a wide range of committees and taskforces, including the Centinela Prison Advisory Board, the United Way Emergency Food and Shelter Program, the Public Safety Taskforce, the Library Taskforce, the Imperial County Airport Commission, the El Centro Regional Medical Center Affiliation Taskforce, the Community Enhancement Taskforce, and the City Attorney Taskforce.

In 2013, Jason was elected by the Imperial County Mayor’s City Select Committee to represent all Imperial County cities on the Local Area Formation Commission (LAFCO), and was later chosen to chair the Commission in both 2015 and 2020.

Jason’s commitment to the region reaches well beyond city government. He has served on the Imperial County Workforce Development Board since 2006, chairing the board from 2007 to 2010, again from 2012 to 2015, and once more in 2022. A firm believer in regional economic development, he has served on the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors since 2010, and has chaired the board since 2022. He has also served on the Imperial County Film Commission since 2010, chairing it from 2012 to 2014.

Jason is a member and past president of the El Centro Kiwanis Club, a past board member of the El Centro Chamber of Commerce, and a lifelong supporter of the Boy Scouts of America, where he earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1989.

Today, Jason is President and CEO of Southwest Protective Services, Inc., where he leads a team of more than 260 local security officers serving the Imperial and Coachella Valleys.