Byron Roberson: Running to be 1st Black Sheriff of Johnson Co.

Prairie Village Police Chief Byron Roberson is running for sheriff of Johnson County, Kansas, and he’s looking to make history along the way. 

As the Democratic candidate for Johnson County sheriff, Roberson could become the first Black ever to the post and he’d be the first Democrat elected to it in nearly a century.

“I’m the first African-American police chief in Johnson County, and I would definitely also be the first sheriff,” says Roberson.

Roberson brings an impressive resume to his race for sheriff. He served in the Marine Corps Reserves for eight years, including a deployment during Desert Storm, and used his GI benefits to get a criminal justice degree from Jackson State University before finding his calling in law enforcement. 

He joined the Prairie Village Police Dept. in 1995 and has climbed the ranks over the last 30 years.

“I have done every job there is to do in law enforcement, from patrol officer to undercover narcotics for five years to division commander as a captain,” says Roberson. “I see what’s going on because I’ve been in the trenches for decades.”

Roberson credits his advancement to consistently striving to improve himself at every opportunity. He received his master’s degree in administration of justice from the University of Central Missouri and has taken leadership courses from Northwestern University and the FBI National Academy at Quantico. 

He has received endorsements of several former police chiefs and judges from around Johnson County.

“I’m very proud of those endorsements because this is my first time running for office, and I have built relationships with many police leaders and police officers throughout my career,” says Roberson.

Roberson says his priorities for Johnson County sheriff are clear and rooted in his experience. 

• Public Safety: Roberson has a track record of using problem-oriented policing that identifies and addresses the root causes of criminal activity.
• Mental Health: In 2019, Roberson helped implement Prairie Village’s first mental health co-responder program, where a mental health professional responds to calls along with an officer when someone is suspected of being in a mental health crisis. He hopes to expand the program throughout Johnson County. 
• Reducing Recidivism: Roberson supports job training and education programs in jails. He says connecting inmates with resources allows the incarcerated person to re-enter society successfully, which also saves taxpayer dollars.
• Transparency: Roberson says transparency is key to building community trust. During his time in Prairie Village, they have had one of the most transparent police departments around, something he would continue county-wide. 

The previous sheriff, Calvin Hayden, was defeated in a Republican primary after spending years trying to find evidence in Johnson County supporting former President Trump’s claim of rampant election fraud across the nation.

“Our last sheriff was something else,” says Roberson. “It’s fine to investigate complaints, but once you investigate it, your personal feelings should not motivate you to continue to waste taxpayer money, which is what he did for years.” 

Roberson suspects Hayden spent “six figures” erroneously looking for voter fraud in Johnson County during the 2020 election. 

In November, Roberson will face Hayden’s undersheriff, Doug Bedford, who defeated his boss in the primary. Roberson says Bedford may continue fruitlessly looking for fraud in past elections despite a lack of evidence.

“I would not spend another dollar of taxpayer money on something we already know. There’s no case there,” says Roberson. “Why are we still checking out who won the election in 2020 in Johnson County? We have a robust and secure voting system; the investigation should have been over in months, not years.”

Bedford, similarly, has a military background and has also served his community for years, but Roberson says his experience and relationships in the community set him apart. 

“This election will come down to two simple things,” Roberson says. “Who do you prefer to be your sheriff? And who do you think is best qualified? I think, hands down, I am the best qualified.”