Campaign Vision & Core Values
This campaign is grounded in integrity, accountability, faith, and service. Johnny Hawkins is committed to being a Sheriff for all of Durham County—every neighborhood, every family, every voice. His vision centers on ethical leadership, constitutional policing, professional corrections management, and deep collaboration with local, statewide, and national partners.
Public safety is not enforcement alone. It is prevention, treatment, supervision, accountability, and restoration.
Professional Experience & Leadership
Johnny Hawkins brings nearly 38 years of leadership experience across military service, law enforcement, corrections, detention administration, intelligence, and public safety management, with a consistent focus on integrity, treatment, supervision, and accountability.
Career Roles Held:
- United States Army – Military Service
- Correctional Warden / Director of Special Operations & Intelligence – North Carolina Department of Public Safety (Retired)
- Chief of Detention Services – Durham County Sheriff’s Office
- Detention Center Administrator – Vance County Sheriff’s Office
- Security and Fraud Manager – Durham Housing Authority
- Detention Counselor (Part-Time) – Durham County Youth Home
- Interim Director / Assistant Director of Safety & Security – Trinity School of Durham & Chapel Hill
- CEO – 4th World Consulting Security Management Group
Statewide and National Leadership Roles
- Commissioner – North Carolina Criminal Justice Education & Training Standards Commission
- State Coordinator – National Gang Task Force
- North Carolina & South Carolina Chapter President – East Coast Gang Investigators Association
- President – North Carolina National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice
- Member – Citizens Advisory Council
- Member – Juvenile Crime Prevention Council
- Board of Trustees – Union Baptist Church
Core Campaign Priorities
1. Integrity, Staffing, and Professional Culture
- Restore morale and accountability within the Sheriff’s Office
- Address staffing shortages through recruitment, retention, and leadership development
2. Violence Reduction, Prevention & Victim Protection
- Target gun violence, gangs, youth crime, property theft, and drug distribution
- Protect schools, seniors, and displaced citizens
3. Treatment, Supervision, and Reentry for Detainees
- Ensure safe, humane, and constitutionally sound detention operations
- Expand access to treatment and structured supervision
4. Partnership-Based Public Safety
- Partner with Durham Police Department leadership, Emergency Services, County Commissioners, and public safety practitioners serving our academic communities
- Collaborate with mental health, housing, faith, and community partners
Co-Responder Model Implementation Roadmap
The Durham County Co-Responder Program will pair deputies with clinicians and housing specialists to respond jointly to mental health crises, homelessness, and behavioral incidents. This approach emphasizes service, de-escalation, and connection to long-term support.
Johnny Hawkins for Sheriff 