On November 6, 2012, Mrs. Janis G. Mangum was elected to the office of Sheriff of Jackson County, being the only female sheriff in the state of Georgia at that time, and only the 2^nd female sheriff elected in Georgia history. Sheriff Mangum is a lifelong resident of Jackson County, having grown up in the Jefferson area and currently residing in the Holly Springs Community of Jackson County, Georgia.  

Sheriff Mangum is the daughter of the late Ray and Lavertis Griffith and is the wife of Mr. Jerry Mangum for over 30 years.  She is the mother of Chad and grandmother to three beautiful grandchildren, Kayla, J.T., and Jayden.  She has been employed with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office for over 31 years, starting her career in law enforcement in 1985 as a Radio Operator for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.  In 1987, she attended the Northeast Georgia Police Academy, where she received her Peace Officer Certification and was promoted to Deputy Sheriff. 

One year later, Sheriff Mangum was promoted to Major over Jail Operations before leaving the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in 1989 to assume a position with the State of Georgia at the I.W. Davis Probation Detention Center located in Jefferson, Georgia.  During her employment with the I.W. Davis Probation Detention Center, she attended the Georgia Public Training Center in Forsyth, Georgia, obtained her certification as a Basic Correctional Officer, and was promoted to a Correctional Officer II.  

In 1992, Sheriff Mangum made a lateral transfer from I.W. Davis Detention Center to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, Georgia State Patrol, where she became a Radio Operator in Post #6 Gainesville, and later in Post #32 in Athens.  Mangum returned to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in 1993 and assumed a position as a Deputy Sheriff until 1994, at which time she was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in the Criminal Investigations Division, specializing in crimes against children, working murders, rapes, kidnappings, aggravated assaults, and crimes against persons, receiving many accolades for her outstanding performances.  

Sheriff Mangum has demonstrated a commitment to her civic duties and responsibilities where she has served on numerous community-related projects.  She is a former member of the Domestic Violence Task Force for the Piedmont Judicial Circuit, an at-large member of the Georgia Sex Offender Regional Task Force, Ex Officio Member of the Tree House, and a former member of the Tree House Child Advocacy Center Board of Directors and Georgia Sheriff’s Youth Homes Board of Directors. Sheriff Mangum has been further recognized for helping provide assistance to the community, especially as related to the children of those who cannot or will not provide a safe and nurturing environment.  

Sheriff Janis Mangum has also been recognized for her community service, having received the American Legion Law Enforcement Commendation in 2012, and the American Legion Citation for Meritorious Service in 2014.  Additionally in 2014, she was named Civil Servant of the Year by the Hudson Lodge #294 F&AM for continuing to provide assistance to the community and for her dedication to the youth and elderly in her community, as well as going above and beyond the call of duty during her first year in office. Mangum also received the 2018-2019 Georgia Sheriff’s Association Special Events Award and the 2019 JCCO Community Leadership Award, both well-deserved honors.  

As Sheriff of Jackson County, Mrs. Mangum has further encouraged her employees and has personally demonstrated a true desire to provide an ethical and professional office and a willingness to be a dedicated Sheriff, available at all times, thus proving herself to be “A Sheriff for the People!”  

Sheriff Mangum is a proven, progressive leader who has displayed these skills, and in doing so, has demonstrated the ability to be a productive citizen of Jackson County where she serves as a certified Peace Officer and has taken an oath to enforce the laws of the State of Georgia, serving and protecting the people of Jackson County.  She is a member of the Peace Officer Association of Georgia.