DeKalb County's New Sheriff Maddox Celebrates Dec. 16

DECATUR, GA — DeKalb County has a new sheriff. Melody M. Maddox was sworn in Sunday, Dec. 1 by DeKalb County Superior Court Judge LaTisha Dear Jackson. The Decatur resident will be filling now retired Sheriff Jeffrey Mann’s seat, who stepped down at the end of November.

Maddox has become the county’s 50th sheriff and the first woman to hold the position. Maddox was appointed Chief Deputy Sheriff in July to fill the position held by Reginald B. Scandrett, who retired in June.

The public is invited to attend an inaugural celebration on Monday, Dec. 16, 2019 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Saint Philip AME Church, 240 Candler Road SE, Atlanta.

Since 2016, she was Chief of Police for Georgia Piedmont Technical College in DeKalb County She managed a team of sworn officers and civilian personnel responsible for public safety and security for students, faculty, visitors and facilities on the college’s six campuses.

A Georgia P.O.S.T. certified law enforcement officer, Sheriff Maddox began her law enforcement career with the sheriff’s office in 1996 as a Detention Technician in the Jail Division. In 1997, she joined the DeKalb County Police Department where she held positions of increasing responsibility for ten years as Master Police Officer, Chief Aide & Crimes Analysis Officer, and Field Training Officer. She completed training programs in Emergency Management and Information Command Systems Training and she is a P.O.S.T. Certified General Instructor in ethics, integrity and professionalism as well as Defensive Tactics.

Her professional affiliations include the Georgia Association of Women in Public Safety, the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the National Sheriffs’ Association, the DeKalb Chiefs Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Sheriff Maddox received her bachelor’s degree from Morris Brown College and her master’s degree from Central Michigan University. A graduate of Newburgh Theological Seminary and Bible College, she is a member of the Leadership DeKalb Class of 2017. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the DeKalb NAACP, she serves with Women to Women Personal Awareness and Safety Training, and she has been honored for her career achievements and community volunteerism by numerous civic and business organizations.