Last time Pike County District Attorney Gary McAliley retired, it was only for five minutes.

This time, he plans to stay gone much longer.

McAliley announced Friday that once his term is complete he will not seek the office again.

“I have as district attorney accomplished what I came to do,” McAliley said. “Therefore, in order to give others an adequate chance to put their names before the public, I announce that I will once more retire and will not be a candidate in 2010 for reelection as your district attorney.”

McAliley will not officially leave his office until his term ends in January 2011, but he wanted to give other candidates plenty of time to decide if they want to seek his position.

McAliley has been the district attorney for Pike and Coffee Counties since 2002, after he “retired” from his spot as circuit judge, a position he held since 1983.

Collectively, McAliley has been serving the two counties for the last 26 years.

It was just after McAliley’s retirement from circuit judge, he was appointed to the DA’s spot by the governor.

“Two years after my initial appointment, the people of Pike and Coffee Counties elected me to serve a full six year term as their district attorney, and I proudly serve in that capacity to this day,” McAliley said.

McAliley’s first retirement was not only what is likely one of the shortest in history, it also made Alabama history for another reason.

“Even though many in Alabama have moved from being a district attorney to a circuit judge, Montgomery officials tell me I am the first person in Alabama history to retire from being a circuit judge and become and elected district attorney,” McAliley said.

McAliley said he feels confident leaving his office in hands of qualified officials and in sound economic shape.

“Your District Attorney’s Office is currently staffed with decent, hard working persons who take price in prosecuting those who break the law, staff who each year collect many millions of dollars in child support for the benefit of children who deserve being supported by both parents and persons who help merchants and others at no charge by collecting nearly a million dollars each year in worthless checks,” McAiley said.

McAliley said the DA’s office has also established a deferred prosecution program and a restitution recovery program to serve residents.

“I enjoyed what I do a lot. It’s time to let some young folks take over,” McAliley said.

With his retirement, McAliley said he plans to finish working on a book and go sailing on his new boat.

“My sail boat ‘No Complaints’ is calling me,” he said.