Johnson tosses hat in the ring for sheriff

Clint Johnson, former military serviceman and former law enforcement officer, has filed his candidacy for sheriff in the upcoming 2024 election.

Johnson graduated from Vian High School in 1990 and went to the Marine Corp. He moved to Tahlequah after his service and went to work for the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office as a reserve deputy, part-time jailer, and dispatcher.

He later moved into full-time jailer and dispatcher for about a year before becoming a full-time deputy on the street.

Johnson, a Republican, worked as a sheriff's deputy for approximately five years before going to work for the District Attorney Drug Task Force. After his time working for the DA's office, he worked as a narcotics agent for the state of Oklahoma for approximately nine years, with three and a half years being field supervisor.

After his time working for the state, he was hired on in Iraq thru DynCorp International, working with the U.S. State Department as an International police liaison officer wherein he trained the Iraqi police and worked in the national investigative and intelligence agency for the ministry of Interior in Iraq for almost two years. 

During his time as a police officer, Johnson received several awards, including a Medal of Valor from the International Narcotics Enforcement Officers Association, a Governor’s Commendation, multiple Citations from the state House of Representatives, as well as the state Senate.

He has been recognized by the Police Assessment and Selection Training in Virginia, United States Attorney's Office, along with other awards from state and federal training.

Johnson is a certified police officer (reserve and full-time C.L.E.E.T,) as well as an academy coordinator and a C.L.E.E.T. certified instructor for the state of Oklahoma.

Johnson has experience in multiple aspects of law enforcement including; homicides; rapes; child abuse; narcotics; and trafficking of humans.

Johnson said he has seen how a professional law enforcement agency is ran and how an unprofessional law enforcement agency is ran.

"It's time to make Cherokee County Sheriff's Department a professional-ran organization again that treats people (the citizens of our county) with the dignity and respect they should expect from us," Johnson said.