Incumbent Republican Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson believes he has earned a second term thanks to improvements within the department, including acquiring body cameras for deputies. Meanwhile, Democratic challenger Wayland Cubit sees a department that is fraught with questionable leadership at the top.
Johnson and Cubit, who is a longtime OKC Police Department Officer, should be familiar to Oklahoma County voters. The race between the two candidates is a replay of 2020 where Johnson edged Cubit by about 13,000 votes.
The two candidates have made no bones about trading barbs at each other, something they did in a 2020 debate. Johnson has made it clear he thinks his experience makes him the right person for the job, while Cubit hit at Johnson’s tenure for issues with Oklahoma County Courthouse security.
In a recent interview with NonDoc, Cubit reiterated claims that judges and others at the courthouse have told him it is not as secure as it could be when it comes to the transportation and supervision of jail detainees.
“The sheriff has to have a good understanding of what his job is, and one of those is to keep the courthouse safe,” Cubit said. “Having talked to people in that building, they don’t feel that they are safe, especially with monitoring detainees inside the courthouse. They don’t feel like they are secure, and that’s on the current sheriff. Securing the building and all that goes with it is a big juggling act, but that’s why I’m running. Because I’m a proven leader that can get things done.”
Johnson has heard about courthouse security before. He said his department has done its job when it comes to securing the facility.
“We have had several meetings with judges about security at the courthouse, and I have given them ideas on how we can make sure floors are monitored. It is a hardened facility, and we have always provided security for it, which is something we take seriously,” Johnson said. “Nothing has happened within the complex. If things happen outside of it, we can’t always control that. But I think the deputies that work there have done a magnificent job in keeping the facility secure.”
Candidates disagree on sheriff’s role at the county jail
Otherwise known as the “jail trust,” the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority runs the Oklahoma County Jail. Gone are the days when the sheriff ran the troubled detention center, but that doesn’t mean the sheriff has nothing to do with it. Johnson sits on the jail trust, and his deputies regularly use the facility to book people who have been arrested.
The current jail has its own set of problems, and the proposed new jail faces a huge funding gap. Though the sheriff no longer has an active role in running the jail, Cubit sees an opportunity for problem-solving.
“The staffing issues are a big problem,” Cubit said of the jail. “The sheriff could assign reserve deputies to help with that, but he hasn’t done that. We hear stories of officers that have combative prisoners, and then another officer has to be taken off the street to follow him because there’s not enough staff at the jail. When that happens, you’re down an officer on the street. I don’t think the current sheriff cares about that.”
Johnson said he remains concerned about staffing levels and other issues at the jail, but he believes he has limited power to solve those issues.
“I think there are a lot of issues that need to be solved in the new jail, and the current jail continues to have challenges,” Johnson said. “We moved $14.8 million from this department to help fund the new jail, which is facing a gap in funding. I don’t run the jail, but I am in touch with (detention center CEO) Brandi Garner frequently about how things are going inside it, and I am going to continue to do everything within my power to help make sure it runs as smoothly as possible.”
Fentanyl crisis continues to loom
When asked what the number one issue facing law enforcement in the county is, both Cubit and Johnson almost immediately brought up the ongoing crisis with highly potent narcotics like fentanyl.
Between 2018 and 2022, Oklahoma County saw about 300 deaths from fentanyl, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
Johnson said his department has done good work in helping to reign in the distribution and use of some drugs, including fentanyl, but he knows it’s just a start.
“That’s our biggest problem — taking narcotics off the streets,” Johnson said. “We’ve done some good work. Just last week we got 47.5 pounds of cocaine and fentanyl off the street. We’ve taken eight tons off the street in four years. That’s a lot for a short time. It’s been a multi-pronged approach. We’ve worked with the [Drug Enforcement Association], and we’ve had our SROs pushing out the message that fentanyl is dangerous to kids. I think there’s a false sense of security in schools when it comes to fentanyl that we’re still working to change.”
Cubit said he also sees fentanyl as a critical issue facing law enforcement in the county.
“It’s the No. 1 issue,” he said. “We’re ranked as one of the highest states with overdoses and deaths, and that’s horrible. It doesn’t have to be that way. It’s a complex issue, but I think a leader needs to know about the cycle of addiction and how supply and demand works. I was an undercover cop, and we dealt with crack. Our solution was enforcement, enforcement, enforcement. Fentanyl is everything that crack was, plus death. We need to make sure we’re doing all we can and that we’re collaborating with other agencies. I don’t think we can wait for the current sheriff to understand the crisis.”
Mental health interactions come into focus
Johnson said one of the accomplishments he’s most proud of during his tenure as sheriff is the department’s work in interacting with people who deal with mental health problems. Two years ago, deputies began carrying tablets that allowed them to connect people with mental health resources almost instantly.
“I think this is an issue that we’ve taken seriously and that has been successful, thanks in large part to Lt. Gene Bradley,” Johnson said. “We have people who deal with manic episodes or other problems. We have about 96 percent of our deputies who have been certified for crisis intervention. When I started, that was usually reserved for people who were interested in that space.”
Johnson said the tablets are not just for those in the public who may be experiencing a mental health crisis.
“There’s also a function where our deputies can be connected to a mental health professional to help them through things they go through,” Johnson said. “Again, these are things that have been innovative.”
Cubit said managing those interactions is a key component in modern law enforcement.
“Law enforcement intersects with a lot of social issues, and that’s something that has changed over time,” he said. “I think, just as a county and a state, we need to do more to focus on mental health and providing those resources that people need in a crisis. When you’re out on the street, you’re a first responder no matter what you’re doing, so I think having that training, having those resources, is very important and there is always room for improvement.”
