Joey Mayes brings a rare combination of real-world law enforcement experience and legal expertise to search and seizure instruction. Starting his career with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics in 1987, he worked extensively in undercover operations before earning his Juris Doctor degree, graduating Cum Laude from Mississippi College School of Law. That transition from the field to the courtroom shaped his ability to make complex legal concepts—particularly search and seizure—immediately practical for working law enforcement.
He currently serves as an instructor for multiple law enforcement training academies, including the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Training Academy, Mississippi Highway Patrol Training Academy, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Training Academy, as well as reserve training programs with both Simpson County and Rankin County Sheriff’s Departments. Since 2008, he has also worked as an Assistant District Attorney for Rankin/Madison County, prosecuting criminal cases in both circuit and county courts. His diverse background includes civil forfeiture litigation, Title III criminal investigations, and investigative work that led to the conviction of a major drug trafficking case.
What sets Joey apart is his deep understanding of how constitutional law applies to real enforcement situations. His years undercover, combined with his legal training and courtroom experience, allow him to translate Fourth and Fifth Amendment principles into practical guidance officers can apply in the field. Agencies value his credibility with street-level officers, his ability to connect legal standards directly to enforcement decisions, and his commitment to helping officers understand search and seizure law in ways that reduce legal risk while supporting effective policing.