Meet the Sheriff
"My mission for the Lee County Sheriff’s Department exists within the office itself. We will provide fair, honest, impartial and professional public services to all citizens of Lee County, Mississippi. I believe that our primary obligation is to the citizens who, by their will, allow us to serve and protect."
Sheriff Jim H. Johnson
Education
- Verona Jr. High School
- Shannon High School
- Itawamba Community College
- Hinds Community College
- William Louis Skinner Jackson Police Academy
Experience
| Verona Police Department | 1982 - 1989 |
| Lee County Sheriff’s Department | 1989 - 2001 |
| State of MS Office of Attorney General | 2001 - 2004 |
| Lee County Sheriff’s Dept. | 2004 - Present |
Accomplishments
- 1982 – 1984 Dispatch / Verona Police Department
- 1984 – 1986 Patrol / Verona Police Department
- 1986 Inducted in the Governors Highway Safety DUI Enforcement 100 Club
- 1986 – 1989 Patrol Supervisor / Verona Police Department
- 1989 – 1991 Patrol / Lee County Sheriff’s Department
- 1991 – 1994 Patrol Supervisor / Lee County Sheriff’s Department
- 1993 Officer of the Year / Lee County Sheriff’s Department
- 1994 – 2001 Criminal Investigator / Lee County Sheriff’s Department
- 2001 Appointed Interim Sheriff / Lee County Sheriff’s Department
- 2001 – 2003 Investigator / State of Mississippi Office of Attorney General
- 2004 Elected Sheriff of Lee County
- 2004 – 2019 Voted Best Law Enforcement Officer for Lee County
- 2005 – present Serves on the Board of Law Enforcement Officer Board of Minimum Standards and Training
- Serves on the ICC Law Enforcement Curriculum Board
- Serves on the 911 Lee County Communications Board
- 2019 Lee County Courier Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
- 2020 Lee County Courier Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
- 2021 Daily Journal Readers' Choice Best Elected Official
- 2022 Lee County Courier Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
- 2023 Lee County Courier Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
- 2023 Daily Journal Readers' Choice Best Elected Offical
Sheriff Johnson and his wife, Jamie, have two children, Kelly and Jimmie, Jr. They are members of First Baptist Church of Tupelo. Sheriff Johnson’s 40 years of continuous service demonstrates that he has dedicated his entire adult life to the law enforcement profession by providing public safety to the citizens in Lee County. He brought the Lee County Sheriff’s Department to a level of professionalism that is noticed by the entire State of Mississippi.
He took measures to protect our children by taking a stand against internet predators by being the first Sheriff in MS to introduce the undercover on-line predator operation. The Cyber Crime Division has now partnered with the MS Attorney General Office and the U.S. Department of Justice to catch and prosecute individuals who target our children.
During Sheriff Johnson’s term, there have been over 20,000 youth attend Summer Camps, Jr. Deputy Academies, and graduated from the D.A.R.E. Programs. These programs allow our youth to learn about a career in law enforcement, how to become more responsible adults and guide them in making the right decisions.
Sheriff Johnson’s administration created an easy-to-use website for the public to access information about the department and allows the community to search for registered sex offenders in the Lee County area, again helping to protect our children.
Sheriff Johnson implemented and built up the TRIAD Program to meet the needs of our senior adults. He meets with the seniors by conducting speakings and quarterly mail-outs that provide safety information and upcoming events.
Sheriff Johnson played an imperative part in bringing the new 911 MISWIN statewide communication system to Lee County to ensure state of the art communications for first responders.
He has also taken a strong stand against drugs by building a relationship with local, state, and federal agencies to attack and combat the problems in this community.
It is his belief that being a proactive Sheriff makes Lee County a better place.
To contact Sheriff Johnson or to set up a meeting, please call Kamisha McKinnon, Administrative Assistant. 662-432-2614.