Sheriff Tommie Johnson III is an Oklahoma City native; a decorated law enforcement professional and experienced leader. The son of a grocery store butcher, Johnson attended Oklahoma City Public Schools his entire life. He went to Hillcrest Elementary; Northeast Middle School; and graduated from U.S. Grant High School where he and his wife, Amanda, were classmates.
Sheriff Johnson was elected to office in 2020 and brought with him a long list of proposed changes he wanted to see implemented under his leadership. ALL of those changes were put into place in the first year, dramatically improving the efficiency of the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s office; morale among staff and the relationship with the community we serve.
Among Sheriff Johnson’s long list of accomplishments:
- Restructuring of OCSO organizational chart resulting in the reduction of captains/division commanders, allowing for more deputies to be on the streets.
- Created positions in the Patrol Division, focusing strictly on mental health. A Lieutenant with a Masters Degree in Counseling who worked as a counselor in the private sector for more than 20 years oversees the division, and actively works with mental health consumers to make sure they are eating, taking meds and are able to care for themselves. We have seen a dramatic reduction in 911 calls as a result, allowing deputies to respond to more calls for service.
- Hired a Finance Director with significant experience. She has been able to reduce costs and set up an auditing system that increases transparency.
- Created an Inventory Management Position to focus on the issues raised in multiple audits related to inventory tracking. The team has developed an inventory reconciliation process in coordination with the State Auditor and Inspector’s Office.
- Hosts Zoom Meeting with all Staff Members every two weeks with a Q&A session with the Sheriff.
- Cross Commissioning of Select Municipal Law Enforcement Officers to better support emerging Criminal Investigations across Oklahoma County, without any additional civil exposer for the Sheriff or the County.
- Body Worn Camera Implementation for all deputies (Patrol and Warrants) paid for with agency funds, not taxpayer funds. These cameras dramatically increase transparency.
- Entered into a formal relationship with Metro Tech in the area of Firearms Training. We now have a full-time F/A Instructor assigned to and overseeing firearms training at a state-of-the-art indoor range.
- Replaced outdated body armor through donations secured by the sheriff. No tax dollars were used for this life saving purchase.
- Replaced aging fleet of patrol vehicles with new Chevy Tahoes, paid for in large part using federal grants.
- Produces monthly videos for the public showing agency spending, to the penny, to be shared on social media.
Sheriff Johnson began his law enforcement career with the University of Oklahoma Police Department. In 2015, he joined the Norman Police Department, where he was promoted to the rank of Master Police Officer and honored with the City of Norman Police Department’s Centennial Award and the Department’s lifesaving award.
With a heart for kids, Johnson has been a leader on school safety issues. In 2019, he testified before a Capitol committee in support of school safety legislation, and he appeared in a safety video produced by the State Department of Education. He serves as a youth sports coach and regularly volunteers as a mentor for at risk kids in local elementary schools, where he tries to be a positive male influence in the lives of young boys.
Johnson grew up in Antioch Baptist Church and is now a member of Life Church, both in Oklahoma City. He and his wife, Amanda have been married since 2014 and have three sons and a daughter.