Margaret Mims has been a peace officer since January l980. She was elected to the office of Sheriff in November, 2006, becoming the 25th person to hold that office in Fresno County. She was the first female deputy sheriff Sergeant to supervise field patrol units. She was the first female deputy sheriff to attain the rank of Lieutenant, Captain, Assistant Sheriff, and to be elected to the office of Sheriff in the history of the Fresno County Sheriff's Office which was established in 1856.
Margaret is a member of the Fresno Cultural Arts Rotary Club, the Caruthers Kiwanis Club and is on the Board of Directors of the Marjoree Mason Center, a local women's shelter. She has served as a past member of the Fresno County Rape Counseling Service Board of Directors. She is a member of the California Peace Officers' Association, the California State Sheriffs' Association, and the American Legion Auxiliary.
She is a graduate of Fresno Pacific University, and has her Masters Degree in Public Administration from National University. She is a graduate of California POST's (Peace Officer Standards & Training) Supervisory Leadership Institute and she is also a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police coordinated through Boston University and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.
Recognitions:
| 1998 | Recipient of the Fresno Exchange Club "Top Cop" award |
| 1999 | Chosen as one of Fresno County's Top Ten Business/Professional Women of the Year |
| 2001 | Recipient of a "Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award" from the National Center for Women in Policing. |
| Feb 2005 | Highlighted on KFSN, Channel 30 (ABC) Person of the Week |
| 2007 & 2008 | Selected as Best Local Female Elected Official by Fresno Magazine |
| March 2007 | Recognized as the 31st Assembly District Woman of the Year |
| 2008 | Recognized as one of Business Street Online "Influential Women 100" of Fresno |
| Feb 2009 | Received an Award of Heroism and Lifesaving by the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, City of Fresno, & Fresno County Council of Governments |
| Feb 2010 | California Rifle and Pistol Association Peace Officer of the Year for the State of California |
| July 2010 | Fresno City College Centennial Alumna one of their "100 Stars for 100 Years" |
| June 2011 | Reedley City College 2011 Distinguished Alumnus |
| June 2011 | Girls Scouts "Women Inspiring Girls" Award |
| Sept 2011 | Exemplary Partnership award from the Dept. of Homeland Security |
| Nov 2011 | Fresno Leading Young Professionals LEAD Award |
| Nov 2012 | Jenny Eller Memorial Volunteer Donor Recruiter Award from Central Calif. Blood Center |
After her 2008 breast cancer diagnosis, Sheriff Mims became an outspoken advocate for early detection.