Transportation Operations Reveal a Larger Issue: Johnston County Needs Modern Data to Support Modern Policing

In May 2025, I submitted a public records request to the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office seeking basic operational information about transportation duties: the number of transports conducted each year, the total mileage driven and how deputies are assigned to transport responsibilities. Transport Public Information Request:

These are standard metrics used by law enforcement agencies across the state and the country. They directly impact staffing levels, coverage, budgeting, and public safety.

The response I received was simple, and concerning. The Sheriff’s Office stated that this information is not tracked in the format requested and, in some cases, may not be tracked at all. They further stated that all deputies are required to perform transport duties but could not provide any records showing how often this happens, how much time it removes deputies from patrol, or how much mileage is associated with these transports. 

For a county growing as fast as Johnston County, operating without these basic metrics creates significant challenges for public safety planning

Why Transport Data Matters

Transport operations are a routine but critical part of law enforcement. Deputies transport inmates to court, move individuals in crisis for involuntary commitments, conduct medical transports, and occasionally carry out extraditions. These duties can take deputies away from their assigned patrol zones for hours, sometimes for an entire shift. Without accurate data, county leadership and the public have no way of knowing:

• How often patrol deputies are being pulled off primary duties to complete transports

• How much time deputies spend out of the county, leaving fewer resources available for emergency response

• Whether current staffing levels are sufficient to meet both patrol and transportation responsibilities

• Whether the Sheriff’s Office needs a dedicated transportation division to ensure consistent countywide coverage

• How many miles deputies drive each year, which affects wear-and-tear on vehicles, fuel budgeting, and long-term fleet planning

In short: without tracking these numbers, we cannot understand the operational impact on the deputies serving our communities or on the residents who rely on timely, reliable responses.

The Bigger Issue - Planning for the Future Requires Data

Johnston County is one of the fastest-growing counties in North Carolina. With growth comes increased call volume, more civil and criminal processes, more court transports, more involuntary commitment transports, and more demands placed on our deputies.

A modern sheriff’s office must track operational metrics to:

• Justify staffing requests

• Plan for future growth

• Identify areas of strain before they become crises

• Create responsible and transparent budgets

• Ensure deputies are deployed efficiently

When core functions like transports, mileage, and out-of-county patrol hours are not tracked, there is no reliable way to measure workload or anticipate the county’s needs in the coming years. Good leaders do not guess. Good leaders plan, with data, transparency, and accountability.

 Impact on Patrol Coverage

The Sheriff’s Office response stated that all deputies perform transport duties, suggesting that any deputy, at any time, may be redirected from patrol to complete a transport assignment.

But without data, the county has no way of understanding:

1. How often this happens

2. How many hours of patrol coverage are lost

3. How frequently zones are left understaffed

4. Whether response times are affected

   
   

Residents deserve to know whether patrol coverage is consistent and whether deputies are being stretched thin by dual responsibilities. Deputies deserve predictable, well-managed workloads. Taxpayers deserve transparency.

A Modernized Sheriff’s Office: What Will Change

As Sheriff, I am committed to building a data-driven, transparent, and professional agency. This begins with establishing systems that accurately track:

Total transports — by category

1. (Inmate, court, medical, IVC, extradition, juvenile, etc.)

2.  Total mileage for transport operations

3. Time deputies spend out of county

4. Staffing demands created by transports

5. Whether a dedicated transportation division is needed

   
   

These are not complex systems, many sheriffs’ offices implement them with simple reporting tools, computer-aided dispatch data, or standardized transport logs. Tracking this information helps ensure deputies are being used effectively, the county is budgeting responsibly, and the Sheriff’s Office is prepared for future growth.

This is not criticism. This is modernization.

A Commitment to Transparency and Public Safety

Johnston County deserves a sheriff’s office that:

• Knows how its resources are being used

• Can justify staffing decisions with evidence

• Plans for a rapidly growing population

• Operates with transparency and accountability

• Supports deputies with the tools and structure needed to succeed

The public records response revealed a significant gap in operational tracking, a gap that affects coverage, safety, budgets, and long-term planning.

As Sheriff, I will ensure that our agency collects, understands, and uses data to improve public safety and protect every corner of Johnston County. Because informed, transparent leadership is not just good government, it is essential to keeping our communities safe.

Randy Ackley,

GOP Candidate for Sheriff