October 25, 2025
Steve Bizzell Will Seek Another Term As Johnston County Sheriff
Bizzell was first elected in 1998 and is one of North Carolina’s most experienced county sheriffs
PRINCETON – Lifelong Johnston County resident Steve Bizzell announced today that he will seek another term as Johnston County Sheriff. Bizzell was first elected in 1998, and has become one of North Carolina’s longest-serving elected county sheriffs. He was most recently reelected in 2022 with 53,665 votes — more than 92 percent of all ballots cast — the highest total ever received by a Johnston County sheriff.
“I love being Sheriff of Johnston County, and I look forward to continuing to serve to ensure that the quality of law enforcement services that our citizens have come to expect continues,” said Sheriff Bizzell. “I’m truly blessed to work alongside a great team of employees that come to work every day to provide the number one priority of government: public safety of our citizens.”
Sheriff Bizzell and his team continue to set the standard for law enforcement and public service. In August 2025, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division received the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force of the Year award from the North Carolina Gang Investigators Association for dismantling a fentanyl trafficking operation that seized more than 100,000 pills, firearms, and body armor — leading to nine arrests and four convictions thus far, totaling 47 years in prison.
Last year, after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, Bizzell started a relief effort that delivered 16 truckloads of supplies to affected communities, assisted by deputies, emergency services employees, other staff, and citizens joining in. In addition, Bizzell’s team collected $50,000 in donations that were personally hand-delivered by the Sheriff to Franklin Graham and his family at Samaritan’s Purse in Boone, North Carolina.
Following the 2023 repeal of the state’s pistol purchase permit requirement, Bizzell acted quickly to implement the change in Johnston County, ensuring a smooth transition while emphasizing that lawful and responsible gun ownership remains essential to public safety.
Earlier this year, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office upgraded to new Glock 9mm handguns, which are upfitted with red dot sights and lights. Last year, the agency purchased new rifles and vests for its tactical team. The Sheriff’s Office also installed automatic license plate readers throughout the county, purchased facial recognition software, and added other investigative tools to assist in solving crime.
In March 2025, Sheriff Bizzell announced that the Sheriff’s Office was in the process of purchasing body-worn cameras, as well as in-car video cameras for the patrol division. This equipment is now on site and will be assigned to deputies in November. The cameras are being purchased with drug-seized funds, saving taxpayers more than $534,000.
“Johnston County continues to be the fastest growing county in North Carolina. We are always preparing to meet the challenges that come with this growth. As sheriff, I will continue to be proactive in providing our staff with advanced training, technology, and the equipment necessary for them to be effective and efficient but more so safe, in providing public safety for our citizens,” said Bizzell.
Sheriff Bizzell served as President of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association (NCSA) in 2007-2008, where he represented all 100 North Carolina sheriffs. He held the position of Chairman of the Executive Committee of the NCSA from 2008 to 2009 and continues to serve on the Executive Committee. In 2014, Sheriff Bizzell was selected to serve on the Governor’s DWI Task Force and was elected by Sheriffs in District 4 to serve on the N.C. Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission. In 2016, Sheriff Bizzell received the “Order of the Long Leaf Pine,” among the most prestigious awards presented by the Governor of North Carolina. Additionally, in March of 2021 he was recognized by the Johnston County Chapter of Veterans of Foreign Wars, in maintaining, preserving, and protecting the lawful rights of all citizens.
“Our deputies are held to a higher standard; we will use common sense in applying the law, and treat people like we would want to be treated,” Bizzell concluded. “When you’re the Sheriff and you’re dealing with people, you do a whole lot better if you balance going by the book with leading from the heart. I humbly ask for your prayers to keep us all safe, your support, and your vote.”
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It’s always good to have new people in charge. Time for a change joco!
That is certainly not true if the other option is not better!
Bizzell has my vote
He has my vote . Best sheriff Johnston County has ever had .
Mine also
Nope! Not going to happen.
Rember the “devil” you know is better than the “devil you don’t know.
There should be term and age limits. I believe our judges once had to retire at age 70 not sure if that is still the case. Definitely need term limits – nothing too short because that doesn’t make sense -but too many years just brings complacency, in my opinion.
judges no longer serve full time after reaching the mandatory retirement age, but typically continue to serve for years in a reserve capacity to cover areas where there is a backlog, or for judges that can’t serve for some reason
Most law enforcement officers have to do 30 years to retire in NC. They changed it 25 but you get a reduced retirement if you take the 25 option. A lot still do 30 or more. I get that the sheriff is an elected position but it’s no different for him than a deputy doing 30 years to retire, just he has the added stress of having to be elected every few years.
Hopefully some yankee doesn’t win. Steve’s definitely got my vote.
You got my vote!! Thanks for good job you’re doing. Makes me proud to be a Johnston County resident
I’m voting for Sheriff Bizzell. A great sheriff for ALL the people!
This is a man who gets things done! Mr. Bizzell you have my vote!
So we have a republican primary in March between Sheriff bizzell and Randy Ackley, an x- deputy. Winner of March primary would be new sheriff in December 2026, if no Democrat opponent . That’s a hard choice…..
Seems like a very easy choice. Democrats support criminals.
The only people not happy with Sheriff Bizzell are former employees or criminals. Ex-employees because they couldn’t meet the higher expectations and standards and had to seek employment elsewhere or forced out of LE. Criminals because they can’t get away with their bs here in Joco like they can other counties. I have tried to do business with the Sheriff as a vendor and I will say this…If every leader in our County looked after the taxpayers $$ like he does we would be better off.
You hit the nail on the head!
I totally agree
Well said, indeed. Sheriff Bizzell has my vote, again.
Love this guy he rocks never personally met him.
anyone who doesn’t appreciate Steve is prob too young to remember how bad things were before he helped clean things up at the JCSO. we deeply love and appreciate his years of service and look forward to at least one more term of sensible, competent, fair and honest leadership from a true Christian man
I don’t know the Sheriff. But I know a bunch of people who work for him. They are all hard-working, humble God-fearing guys who would do anything for you. I’ve never heard them complain about working conditions, and I know they are dedicated and love it.
Several other deputies go to the gym where I work out at. I’ve never spoken to them but will just say that I’m glad they’re on the good people side…
I am new to JoCo. I would like to know how the Sheriffs stands on supporting our President and his stand on crime
Sheriff Bizzell supports our President. He is very tough on crime too. God fearing Bible believing man.
“County Line or County Jail!” best quote ever! He’s got my vote too.
Been here long enough to have figured out what Nate, Got My Vote and Happy Taxpayer have figured out, and what Bert needs to understand. What a breath of fresh air to have a consistent, drama-free, zero-ego person in charge who quietly does what is needed, and stays ahead of the curve. His quote really does sum up what long-time residents, native or otherwise, already know: “Our deputies are held to a higher standard; we will use common sense in applying the law, and treat people like we would want to be treated. That’s a whole hell of a lot different than the attitude of so many yahoos running things in any number of other cities, states or otherwise around the country, and thank God for that! He absolutely does NOT need to “take a stand” on the president or anything else for that matter, because, again thank God, it is TOTALLY irrelevant to being an effective, no-BS, no shining lights Sheriff for Johnston Co. For that matter, he is the only Republican I have ever voted for!
Are you people not reading what the other guy is posting, asking for public records from the Sheriff and not getting them. Officers with NO in car cameras and no body cameras, outdated body armor. Training that is well below standards. Jailers having to pull over time because Sheriff can’t hire enough staff. Not enough deputies to cover the growing citizens in this county. This story sings his praise but there is TONS wrong in that office.
That’s what he is saying but if you want to know the truth go talk to his employees.. Or anyone who knows the truth not what some wanna-be ex employee that’s quit and come back 3 times… who only knows what his wife tells him.
The body cams were already in the works before he quit and he knows it. Over 100 records requests by him and his cronies is unreasonable unless the taxpayers want to pay for a staff to come in and generate millions of pages of data.
Staff is very well trained and body armor is not outdated. Anyone who wants uniform items or anything else just puts in a request, again just ask the real deputies not the ones fired for failing to meet standards.
That guy is a snob, over the years of seeing him at the store, he’s never said “hi, how are you” or anything. Now that he’s running for Sheriff hes trying to act like he’s so personable. To be frank, he acts like a jerk. Mr. Steve has always acknowledged me and said hello in passing.
The other guy and his supporters have submitted like 90+ FOIA’s. Didn’t he get hired by the current sheriff 3 different times? If it’s so bad why did he leave and come back 3 times?
90+ FOIA’s????? How much does that cost the Sheriff’s office and taxpayers?????
It would be nice to know how much RANDY ACKLEY’s out of control wild goose chase is COSTING Johnston County TAXPAYERS.
Filing that many requests is egregious and forcing staff to spend time on that instead of other things is negligence on the part of the Ackley campaign. I sure hope someone runs a story on that, what a dummy.
I like that Sheriff Steve Bizzell is friends with Rev. Franklin Graham and Bizzell met Graham while giving donations to his Samaritan’s Purse. See Johnstonian News online for photo. I am buying the newspaper on Wednesday to have that photo with Graham and Bizzell. The late Anne Graham Lotz was someone I admired. I read her book, “I SAW THE LORD.” I visited the Rev. Billy Graham library once by myself.