Sheriff Ivy J. Woods was born and raised in Jefferson Davis Parish and is a member of the Lake Arthur High School Athletic Hall of Fame. He continued his athletic career on a scholarship to McNeese State University as a starting offensive guard on the football team and graduated from McNeese in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Business.

Sheriff Woods began his Law Enforcement career in 1990 and served as a Louisiana State Trooper for twenty-one (21) years.  He was awarded the 2004 Senior Trooper of the Year for Region II and the 2006 Trooper of the Year for the largest illegal drug currency seizure ever in Louisiana.  During that seizure, $3.3 million in cash was discovered during a traffic stop on Interstate 10 in Jefferson Davis Parish.

Sheriff Woods retired from Louisiana State Police in 2011 to pursue the office of Sheriff of Jefferson Davis Parish.  After being elected Sheriff of Jefferson Davis Parish, Sheriff Woods made several improvements to the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff's Office.  Under the guidance of Sheriff Woods the total number of deputies increased by over 50% through the expansion of services such as School Resource Officers, Elderly Affairs and Livestock Patrol.  The increase also included growth in the existing number of deputies in positions such as Corrections and Investigations.  During his tenure, Sheriff Woods acquired a new Sheriff's Office Administration Building and substation, he was also instrumental in acquiring a new parish 911 center and a new Regional Jail Facility that nearly tripled the jail capacity in Jefferson Davis Parish.