Tift County’s new jail administrator brings years of experience and a little muscle to the county corrections facility.

Capt. Jerry Lipsey started Tuesday as the new administrator of the Tift County jail at the Tift County Law Enforcement Center. He brings with him 13 years of experience in detention and corrections and 18 years of law enforcement experience overall.

Lipsey, 44, took the place of Lt. Bryan Giddens, who now serves as one of two chief deputies of detention.

A resident of Nashville, Lipsey may be remembered by some as the former chief of police there from 2001 to 2003. He is also the former chief of security for the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. He served with the Georgia Department of Corrections for nine years at Valdosta State Prison. Born and raised in Cook County, he began his law enforcement career with the Adel Police Department.

Lipsey also served in the U.S. Army for six years, leaving shortly before Operation Desert Storm. When the Middle Eastern conflict began, he tried to re-enlist, but the Army opted for new recruits.

“I was kind of disappointed a little bit,” he said. “I really wanted to go.”

But Lipsey found his calling in law enforcement.

“I guess my calling is this right here, in detention and correction,” he said. “It’s just a different aspect of the law enforcement side. You get the opportunity to reach somebody, to make a difference.”

He said he gained experience as a jail administrator from his time with Lowndes County. He said officials with the Tift County Sheriff’s Office, which oversees the jail, knew of his experience and asked him to start running the facility.

Lipsey should not expect much trouble from inmates. An avid weight trainer, his imposing form proves that he is more than just a paper pusher and will likely help keep inmates in line.

A family man, Lipsey and his wife, Gina, have two sons, Shane and Tyler. Aside from weightlifting, his interests include golf, football, and coaching Little League baseball, but he enjoys spending time with his family most of all.

“I’m very big on family,” he said.

He said that so far, he is very pleased with his experiences at the Tift County jail, particularly his staff, which he described as “open and friendly.”

“I like it,” he said. “I like the people. I like the staff. I see room for improvement and that’s what we’re going to do.”

He said that he did not expect to make drastic improvements, but he hopes to use his experience to make the jail processes run more smoothly. He said that he can make things easier, more officer-friendly.

“That’s basically what I’m going to do, is streamline it,” he said.

Lipsey said he would also like to increase the staff and plan for an expansion of the 250-bed jail.

“Jail populations are not going down,” he said. “So, you’re always going to have to be planning for where you’re going to expand.”



To contact reporter Dusty Vassey, call 382-4321, ext. 208.