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PAXTON — It took years for Chad Johnson to realize his dream of becoming a police officer, but he finally achieved it in 2006 at the age of 36. Johnson will achieve another goal on Dec. 1 when he takes the reins as Ford County sheriff.
Johnson succeeds four-term Sheriff Mark Doran, who is not seeking re-election. He was elected unopposed on November 8.
“Life gets in the way, so it gets put on the back burner,” Johnson said of reaching his goal later in life.
Before becoming an officer, he worked at several jobs, including factory worker and barber.
“I actually come from a family of barbers,” he said.
He also did home inspections and construction work and was a correctional officer at the Ford County jail.
It seems he found his calling when he became a police officer.
“He was a good officer, a very good officer,” Paxton police Chief Coy Cornett said of his former captain. “He’s a real asset to Paxton PD. He’s level-headed, easy to talk to, has good communication skills and is well liked by the officers, well liked by the community.”
Johnson served as Paxton’s first dog officer. She says Max, the yellow lab she’s worked with for nearly six years, is her “best bud.”
“His main job was … narcotics, and he did the tracking,” Johnson said, adding that he was also available to help find elderly residents who might have wandered into the home. “I’m with him 24/7.”
Johnson said being a canine officer was fulfilling and one of the most enjoyable times he’s spent in law enforcement. He decided to reject the opportunity to get another dog because “it’s constant training, which is very satisfying when he does his job and you get results, but you have to go through pain and loss” when Max died was not something he wanted. to go through again.
“It’s hard on our family, he’s part of our family,” Johnson said.
As a Paxton officer, Johnson received two letters of commendation for a drug arrest and seizure in March 2021 and a drug investigation and seizure in February 2020. He received a letter of commendation for numerous drug arrests and drug forfeitures in May 2019.
Johnson’s son, Hunter, is a deputy in the sheriff’s office and will serve under his father. Chad Johnson and his wife Stacy, who have been married for 30 years, also have a daughter, Valerie, a graduate of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale who now lives in Florida.
Johnson said one of his immediate goals as sheriff is to purchase body cameras for deputies.
“We’re currently at Paxton PD,” he said. “They’re just a great tool.”
Cornett said communication between Paxton police and the county sheriff’s office has been good, and Johnson wants to keep it that way.
“We’re a small community here,” Johnson said. “Communication I think is a big thing. As a former canine officer, I’m big on drug enforcement. There are some cases where I have a dog locally and I’ve assisted the state police on some calls.
As sheriff, Johnson was in charge of maintaining the county jail and courthouse. He said he wants to wait before deciding what, if anything, needs to be done with those buildings.
Johnson spent the week of November 14-18 at a conference for newly elected sheriffs in Springfield, which he said was quite informative.
He feels ready for work.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Johnson said. “As much as possible, I go there with Mr. Doran, the current sheriff, who asks him a lot of questions about everything. I’m now at the point where I’m ready to start.”
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