Sheriff Johnson Promotes New Major

Date Added: March 13, 2012 2:00 pm

Gary Davidson
Public Information Officer

Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson completed a make-over on Tuesday of his executive staff that includes a new chief deputy, two new majors and a shuffling of assignments. Necessitated by recent retirements, the overhaul was completed on Tuesday with the formal promotion of 26-year agency veteran Jim Melady to the rank of major. While Sheriff Johnson announced the promotion last month, he made it official on Tuesday with a ceremony in front of a packed crowed at Deltona City Hall. “Thank you for a great job,” Sheriff Johnson told Melady as he handed him his major’s badge. “You have worked hard for this. Everywhere you have worked in the Sheriff’s Office, you have excelled.”

A native of Philadelphia, the 45-year-old Melady joined the Sheriff’s Office in February 1986. He has spent much if his career in investigative services, but also has served stints in road patrol, court security and internal affairs. He also served as an assistant district commander in the Sheriff’s Office’s Northwest Volusia law enforcement headquarters. Melady has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Union Institute & University. With his promotion to major, Melady has assumed command of the Support Services Division. In his new role, Melady is overseeing training, communications, evidence, fleet services and information systems. It’s a job that had been done by Major Rocky Norris since October 2011. Norris, though, has been transferred to the Judicial Services Division, where he now oversees the civil section, court security, prisoner transport, warrants, extraditions and records. Major Robert Jones continues to command the Sheriff’s Office’s third operating division, Law Enforcement Services. Chief Deputy Mike Coffin assumed his new role with the Sheriff’s Office in December.

Major Melady said he’s excited about the challenges of his new assignment. “I appreciate the confidence that the Sheriff has placed in me,” Melady said. “It’s a big job, and I’m ready to hit the ground running.”