By Aila Boyd aboyd@ourvalley.org
After 32 years with the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office, John Mandeville assumed the role of major following the retirement of Delbert Dudding last month.
Photo by Aila Boyd
Mandeville’s first official day in his new role was February 14.
Having served under four different sheriffs, Mandeville knows the office well.
“It’s part of me,” he said. “I’ve spent most of my life at the Sheriff’s Office.”
In his new role, Mandeville will oversee the operations of the office and will be responsible for budgeting.
When considering who he is replacing, Mandeville said, “I’ve got big shoes to fill with Major Dudding leaving.”
He also spoke highly of Sheriff Ronnie Sprinkle, who he worked a shift with as a road deputy earlier in his career. “Sheriff Sprinkle runs a good department,” he said.
A native of Alleghany County, Mandeville and his wife, who is a teacher with Botetourt County Public Schools, now reside in Botetourt County. Their son, a graduate of Roanoke College, is currently in law school in South Carolina.
Looking back on his career up to this point, Mandeville said he’s witnessed a lot of change in the Sheriff’s Office. During his first few years with the office, there were only four people on the road per shift, now there are seven.
Law enforcement’s use of technology has evolved as well, specifically the use of computers in patrol cars. “Our equipment has come a long way,” he said.
He added that there used to be parts of the county that police radios wouldn’t work in.
Mandeville said that he doesn’t anticipate implementing any significant changes to the office, adding that “things run smoothly now.”
With that being said, he did note, “I’d like to see the continued growth of the Sheriff’s Office.”
Mandeville considers his 1996 graduation from the Virginia Forensics Academy and his 2011 graduation from the FBI National Academy as two of his career highlights to date.
Prior to Dudding’s retirement, there were four graduates of the Virginia Forensics Academy in the office. Now, there are only three.
