Sheriff Pace files for re-election, Riggs joins the race

Former Warren County Undersheriff Jeff Riggs and current Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace have qualified to run for sheriff of Warren County.

Riggs, who was the undersheriff in Warren County from 1997-2018, showed up at the courthouse on Thursday to make everything official.

Jeff Riggs, Sherry Riggs and Adalynn Riggs (Photo by Keith Phillips)

Riggs spent most of his life serving the people of Warren County. He also spent 42 years in the Mississippi National Guard and retired as a command sergeant major. In total, his experience in law enforcement expands nearly 40 years,

Riggs was first hired with the WCSO in the early 1980s by former Sheriff Paul Barrett. He stayed there until he was elected as Justice Court Judge in the Southern District in 1987. He got back into law enforcement in 1997 and was appointed as the undersheriff until his 2018 retirement.

Although Riggs retired nearly five years ago, he didn’t stray away from serving the community. He remains very active with the Warren County Fire Department and responds to emergency calls on a normal basis.

Sheriff Martin Pace: Photo by Keith Phillips

Pace is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi (including graduate hours from USM and the University of Virginia), Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Training and the FBI National Academy. He has also graduated from countless state and federal training programs as well as being an instructor at Hinds CC for 15 years.

Pace started his law career in 1979 as a state park ranger. In 1981 he was hired by the WCSO where he first worked in the county jail. He has since worked in the courts, uniform patrol, investigations and as Sheriff.

Pace has been the Warren County Sheriff since 1996 after being appointed and followed by winning a special election in the same year. He joined the WCSO in the 1980s and has stuck with the department ever since.

The general election will be held in November.